Radical Transformation
"Hey guys, have fun at school?" April walked through her apartment door after having just finished work.
It was an hour and a half since the guys had got back from school. They had crashed on the couch, except Mikey who grabbed a popcorn bowl before crashing on the floor in front of the couch. They were now watching The Terminator.
"Depends what you class as 'fun'," Donnie said, his hand on his hand.
"Oh, okay, did you have hell in school?" April asked, smiling and taking her coat off while kicking her shoes off.
"Yep," they all said in unison.
April grinned and shook her head as she placed her shoes neatly on the mat at the side of the doorway. Then she plonked her bag down on the table and disappeared upstairs to change.
The tape in the VCR stopped and rewound itself, as it had come to the end of the tape. They guys didn't even move; but when it had finished rewinding, Leo picked up the remote, which was on the chair arm next to him, and pressed play again. No one moved or complained, they just watched, with Mikey crunching away at the popcorn. Though a few minutes later, when the trailers had finished and the movie began again, Donnie nudged Mikey on the shoulder.
"Wanna share that?" Donnie pointed to the popcorn bowl.
"No," Mikey smiled, and carried on eating.
It soon turned into a wrestling match to get the popcorn, and without Donnie realising it, the popcorn bowl was let go by Mikey.
Raph picked it up, smiling, and passed it to Leo, who reached over the arm and put it behind the couch where neither of their playing brothers could see it.
A few seconds later Donnie and Mikey stopped wrestling each other and searched the floor.
"Where'd the popcorn go?" Mikey asked.
"No idea," Leo said, keeping a straight face while just having pulled his arm back from behind the couch and handing a few popcorn puffs to Raph, who shrugged.
Donnie and Mikey both grinned and leaped behind the couch; but Leo was quicker. He pulled the bowl out before they saw him, and sat it between him and Raph, who ate contently, watching the movie, which had now started.
April appeared on the stairs, and when she saw the two rolling around on the floor she sighed and put her hands on her hips.
"What are you two doing?" She asked, walking down the stairs.
Donnie and Mikey looked up. "Looking for the popcorn." They both said in strangled voices. This was maybe because Donnie had got hold of Mikey's arm and pinned it to his back, while Mikey had grabbed Donnie's free arm and trapped it between him and the floor.
April glanced at Leo and Raph; both had turned around to see what their brothers were doing. They shrugged, grinned and turned back to the TV.
"And I thought it would be you two who started the first fight," April said to them, making her way to the kitchen. "Where's Splinter?" She called from the kitchen.
"He's outside on the roof, meditating," Leo answered, switching hands to lean his head on, eyes still on the TV. "He's been out there for about half an hour."
"Oh, well he'll come in when he's ready," April said, making a pot of tea. "Casey said he might pop round for a bit, later. Said he cleaned up the town of all the filth, so no more heads to bust." She smiled fondly.
"Yeah right, he probably couldn't handle them all and is coming round here to ask us to help," Raph snorted.
"Yeah, I'm bored, I wanna do something," Mikey said from the floor behind the couch. He and Donnie had given up looking for the popcorn, but when they both stood up and spotted the bowl on the couch, they shook their heads and sat back down, on the floor.
"Watch the movie," April suggested, pointing to The Terminator.
"We've already watched it once," Mikey moaned. Donnie nodded.
"Play a game then!"
"What about Twister?" Mikey asked his brothers.
"What about Hang man?" Donnie suggested.
"Hang Mikey," Raph grinned.
Just then someone knocked on the front door, and they all shut up and turned to look at it.
"Yo, Ape, s'me," Casey's muffled voice called through.
Everyone seemed to unfreeze and April moved towards the door. She opened it and Casey's smiling face walked in.
"Yo guys," he said, nodding once.
"Yo Casey," they all said in unison.
"Man, you look like someone's just died," Casey joked. Then his grin vanished and he said, "Where's Splinter?"
"Oh, he's okay, Casey," April laughed. "He's outside." She pointed to the kitchen window.
"So, sup?" Casey sat down in the armchair; his hockey stick was leant against the coat rack when he came in.
"The ceiling," Donnie said in a dead tone of voice.
Ha ha, that was funny," Casey said, sarcastically. "Whatcha been up to then? At least tell me something interesting."
The guys all looked sidelong at each other. Since they were taking too long to answer, April smiled and answered for them.
"They were invited to a friend's dinner," she said, glancing at the guys who looked at her as though she had spilled some great secret.
Casey's eyebrows rose the fell. "Who?"
"A friend," Raph said, firmly, glancing at April, as though warning her not to say who.
"Yeah, and Mai cooks the best dinner," Mikey said happily, glad he had a topic to talk about now.
"Mai?" Casey cocked an eyebrow again. "So it's a girl, eh?"
"Oh, No, Mai's her sister!" Mikey said, glancing at Raph who was shooting him death glares.
"HER sister? She's still a she then?" Casey grinned. He saw all the guys seemed to be looking anywhere but him. "Aw c'mon guys, I'm not THAT bad to talk to. What was her name, it was the one who was here when I took April out for dinner, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, her name's Prida," Donnie said. What was the point, it was only embarrassing Raph the most.
Casey sat back. "So what did you do?"
"Ate dinner, whadda ya think?" Raph said, with a strong sarcastic tone.
"Raph's just a sour mouth," Mikey said, "we played Twister, it was cool - and Leo got all the easy colours, like . . . "
While Mikey went into detail about their game of Twister, and Korey, Mai's boyfriend, had joined in, April started to make some pasta for the guys, who said they were starving. Casey didn't ask for any, he said he was stuffed, and that just beating up the scum in the town was enough for him.
When everyone who wanted pasta had been supplied with it, and April sat down on the armchair arm next to Casey, Ape suggested something the guys didn't expect for her to say.
"So, guys," April drew their attention away from The Terminator, who was now crawling after Sarah, his metal skeleton showing now his skin had been ripped away. "Yu know what you should do now, that'll be nice?"
They stared at her, all raising their eyebrows slowly.
"What?" Mikey asked, after a two second hesitation.
"You should invite Prida around here for lunch," April said, smiling.
They all stared. Casey looked at their expression. They were all blanc. Then they all unfroze and started stuttering about what could happen if she stayed here too long, and how she might come over too many times, and how she might notice something.
April and Casey laughed. The guys' faces were red slightly, except Mikey, who looked thoughtfully at the ceiling and then grinned at April.
"Actually Ape, that would be great!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
"April - Mikey - we couldn't," Leo sputtered. "What about Master Splinter? He would be shut up again, and we can't show her! And what if - if she sees something or -"
"Leo, you need to lighten up, chill out dude!" Mikey said. "C'mon, this could be fun, I mean, it's returning the favour. She's our friend . . . How many times have we been able to invite friends to dinner?"
Leo opened his mouth then shut it, decided to open it again but thought better of it. He was doing good impressions of a goldfish.
"But what ABOUT Master Splinter?" Donnie asked quietly. "We can't shut him out again, it's not very fair . . ."
"We can talk to him, ask him, he'll understand," Mikey assured him.
"But we slip up so much," Leo regained his voice. "Especially Mikey. What if something big spills out?"
"Leo, chill, we can be careful, right guys?" Mikey looked happily at his other two brothers, and then at April, who shrugged, smiling, and nodded. "Wicked! So whadda ya say, Leo? Please!?"
Leo stilled looked as though he strongly disagreed. But the face his brother in orange was making was too cute to ignore.
"Fine! But YOU'RE asking Splinter," Leo said, giving up.
"Okay!" Mikey said, too happy to actually put much focus in his answer. He turned to Raph, who had not said anything. "Hey, you're agreeing right?"
Everyone now looked at the two. Raph stared at his brother and managed a small smile, though he couldn't keep the anxiety out of his expression.
"Good enough for me!" Mikey said. "I'll ask Master when he comes in."
"You do not have to wait long, my son, I am here."
They all turned to look at Splinter in the kitchen. The window behind him was open, and it was obvious he had only just come in. From the draft caused by the open window that touched their warm faces, it was turning cold outside, as well as dark.
Splinter looked at Mikey, waiting for him to say what he wanted to.
Mikey turned his body around to face his Master. "Well, Master Splinter, we wanted to do something nice for our . . . friend, Prida. And, we kinda wondered if she would be able to join us for dinner after school like we had; but we didn't know if we could because . . . we didn't want to shut you out again . . ." Mikey stopped because Splinter raised a hand.
"I know what you are trying to say, Michelangelo," Splinter said softly and gently. "And I will happily stow away in my room, while you and your charming friend are down here." He smiled, but his sons seemed to wince when he said 'stow away'. "Do not worry, my sons, I want you to be happy, and I want you to invite her for dinner. I do not mind in the slightest."
Splinter was indeed happy for his sons. He beamed inside just because they had made one special friend. And Splinter could sense it. She was special, perhaps more so than they thought. It made Splinter happy, but it broke his heart. His sons would have to give her up to live back in their original lives.
"Thank you Master Splinter!" Mikey said, bowing, then jumping up and whooping. "Hey, this is gunna be so great! We can get games out after dinner, put a few movies on, play charades or somat . . . !"
While Mikey went on, Leo thought of something else. He turned to his Master, who had walked over and sat in his armchair, after Casey had moved from it and indicated Splinter to sit down.
"Master, how will she get here again?" Leo asked. "We can't blindfold her again, I mean the first time was ridiculous."
"No, my son, blindfolding is not an option," Splinter spoke wisely. "I can tell you that it is quite alright for her to know the route to April's apartment. Of course that has to be up to April to decide if she wants you young friend to know of her location. But blindfolding would be too suspicious for a second time, and would not be a polite way to invite a young lady to dinner." Splinter smiled.
"So we can walk her here without blindfolding? Awesome!" Mikey said.
"I still have doubts about this," Leo said quietly.
"Clear your mind of worries and doubts," Splinter said. "I want you to have a pleasant evening."
"Thank you!" Mikey said, pumping his arms in the air. He gave Donnie a high five. "Oh and I'm gunna be the cook! I gotta prepare - I wonder what she likes . . . I'll have a lookie at a couple of recipes, or Raph - you can ask her; and we could have candles!" He looked at April.
"Mmm, I'll think about that one, Mikey," she said, suddenly having a metal image of her place on fire. But then another, more pleasant, image of Mikey and his Brothers, along with Prida, sat at the table, bathed in a beautiful candle light . . . I looked so nice she would have to hint to Casey about it.
"Hey, guys, who gunna ask her . . . ?" Donnie asked, slightly quiet, but the question brought all heads his way. It was a simple question, but they all thought about it as though it were something very serious . . . they had never asked a girl to dinner.
"I think Mikey," Raph said at once.
"Whoa - wha' - why me?" He pointed to his chest.
"Because you're the friendly one," Leo grinned.
"You're the leader!" Mikey pointed to him.
"Well, Donnie's the smart one, he knows the best way to ask her," Leo said, grinning, and pointing to Donnie, who, shy as he was, blanked. He wasn't afraid to ask her, but he wanted to see if this little argument got around all of his brothers before he would say he was going to ask her. It was fun seeing his brothers put in this awkward, but humorous, position.
"Raph's her best friend," Donnie said quickly. "He knows her best!"
"What?!" Raph turned to glance at his brother behind him. "But, I can't ask her . . ."
"Why not?" Leo asked, grin widening. "Donnie's right."
"Because . . . I can't ask her!" Raph said again.
"Who votes Raph?!" Mikey asked, sticking his hand in the air.
Leo, enjoying where this was going, happily put his hand in the air, laughing as Mikey, Donnie and April put their hand in the air. Casey, looking at the all, smirked and put his hand up too. Splinter shook his head, smiling.
"What!" Raph looked at everyone, on the edge of his seat, looking like he was getting ready to run for it.
"Go on Raph," Mikey said, putting his hand down with everyone else. "She IS YOUR friend, I mean, you two hang out more than you do with us."
"Does he?" Casey asked, smirking again.
Raph glanced angrily at him, before softening his expression on Mikey. "You're Mr Nice guy! You can tell her without . . . getting . . . embarrassed - Mikey you tell her!"
"Alright!" Leo ended it there. "I'll tell her."
Raph, even though he looked relieved, looked as though he had lost out on something as well.
"I can't believe you guys are making such a big deal about this," Casey chuckled.
"Yeah well I bet it took you some guts to ask April out," Raph retorted, sounding slightly sour.
Casey chose not to answer, but was glad when Mikey switched on the TV to loosen up the tension.
As the time went by, the guys, mostly Mikey, discussed what they would have to eat when Prida came round. April was amazed how they found it so exciting to have someone come around for dinner. When she was younger, she had quite a few friends around, and it didn't seem like such a big thing. But to the guys, it was. It was like their friendship will be made stronger when she comes round, and that it could never break after that. It was, as she mentally agreed with Splinter through their eyes, a treat to see them so happy.
At a quarter past ten, everyone said goodnight to Casey, who said he should be going now.
"Night Casey," April said, opening the door for him. He walked through and turned around to face her.
"Good night," he said, and kissed her on the lips.
"OoooooOOOoo!" The guys all chorused, then laughed.
April smiled over her shoulder at them, then playfully shoved Casey all the way out the door. A few seconds after watching him down the corridor and down the stairs, she shut it.
"Not a word," she said as soon as she turned around, holding her index finger up at the guys. They only grinned. "It's time you lot went to bed too."
They groaned, but when Splinter agreed with April they got off their butts and stretched, ready to go.
"Donnie, you sleeping down here again?" April asked, on the stairs about to go up.
"Yeah, can't fit four upstairs in that room," he said, smiling. The couch was much comfier than the floor beds upstairs.
"Aw, Donnie, you've been on that couch too long, let me on it tonight," Mikey said.
"Hey, I haven't even been on it yet," Leo spoke up.
"That's because you haven't been injured yet," Raph smirked. "I could arrange it for ya . . ."
Leo gave him a look. "No thanks Raph. And I think Donnie still needs it for his side. It takes days to heal."
"Thank you doctor L," Donnie grinned, and helped April, who was coming down the stairs, with the covers she was providing for him.
Splinter retreated to his own room after saying good night to his sons, and them back. His door slammed shut softly and there was no more noise from his room.
"Okay guys, upstairs to your rooms," April said, hands on Leo's shoulders, pushing him gently to the stairs.
They all walked up the stairs, saying 'night' to Donnie, who was just getting comfy on the couch, smiling before the lights were turned off. On the landing, they said goodnight to April as she walked on to her room.
"Mikey, you're sleeping over there this time," Raph said, pointing to the bottom on the row of three floor beds, where, if Mikey slept there, he was have either Raph or Leo's feet in his face.
"Why?" Mikey asked, knowing what the answer was just after he had said it.
"Because you roll," Leo answered. "Right onto us, and crush us."
Mikey stuck out his lip, but took up the bottom of the beds after he was tossed his sheet and bedcover.
After changing into their grey T-shirts and khaki shorts, they climbed into their beds.
"Hey guys," Mikey called softly, afraid to disturb the silence of the apartment. "At least if you're forcing me to sleep here, put your socks on like me, it kinda muffles the smell."
Raph and Leo rolled their eyes. They knew Mikey was joking, and heard him chuckle as he turned over and silenced, already on his way to sleep. A few seconds later, they knew he was, as his breathing slowed down and he ceased his movements.
Raph listened, then, eyes on the ceiling, spoke.
"Leo," he said very quietly.
"Yeh," Leo grunted, eyes closed.
Raph paused. "Well . . . um . . . I just wanted to . . . I was wondering . . . could I ask Prida?"
Leo opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. He could tell Raph wasn't looking at him. He was surprised Raph plucked up the courage to ask him. But he wasn't surprised that he did.
"Sure Raph . . . sure . . ."
Raph closed his eyes and smiled, then he fell asleep, while Leo turned around, grinning. Mikey snorted at his feet.
Thanks for the reviews, SFAM. Hope ya had a great xmas, I did!
"Hey guys, have fun at school?" April walked through her apartment door after having just finished work.
It was an hour and a half since the guys had got back from school. They had crashed on the couch, except Mikey who grabbed a popcorn bowl before crashing on the floor in front of the couch. They were now watching The Terminator.
"Depends what you class as 'fun'," Donnie said, his hand on his hand.
"Oh, okay, did you have hell in school?" April asked, smiling and taking her coat off while kicking her shoes off.
"Yep," they all said in unison.
April grinned and shook her head as she placed her shoes neatly on the mat at the side of the doorway. Then she plonked her bag down on the table and disappeared upstairs to change.
The tape in the VCR stopped and rewound itself, as it had come to the end of the tape. They guys didn't even move; but when it had finished rewinding, Leo picked up the remote, which was on the chair arm next to him, and pressed play again. No one moved or complained, they just watched, with Mikey crunching away at the popcorn. Though a few minutes later, when the trailers had finished and the movie began again, Donnie nudged Mikey on the shoulder.
"Wanna share that?" Donnie pointed to the popcorn bowl.
"No," Mikey smiled, and carried on eating.
It soon turned into a wrestling match to get the popcorn, and without Donnie realising it, the popcorn bowl was let go by Mikey.
Raph picked it up, smiling, and passed it to Leo, who reached over the arm and put it behind the couch where neither of their playing brothers could see it.
A few seconds later Donnie and Mikey stopped wrestling each other and searched the floor.
"Where'd the popcorn go?" Mikey asked.
"No idea," Leo said, keeping a straight face while just having pulled his arm back from behind the couch and handing a few popcorn puffs to Raph, who shrugged.
Donnie and Mikey both grinned and leaped behind the couch; but Leo was quicker. He pulled the bowl out before they saw him, and sat it between him and Raph, who ate contently, watching the movie, which had now started.
April appeared on the stairs, and when she saw the two rolling around on the floor she sighed and put her hands on her hips.
"What are you two doing?" She asked, walking down the stairs.
Donnie and Mikey looked up. "Looking for the popcorn." They both said in strangled voices. This was maybe because Donnie had got hold of Mikey's arm and pinned it to his back, while Mikey had grabbed Donnie's free arm and trapped it between him and the floor.
April glanced at Leo and Raph; both had turned around to see what their brothers were doing. They shrugged, grinned and turned back to the TV.
"And I thought it would be you two who started the first fight," April said to them, making her way to the kitchen. "Where's Splinter?" She called from the kitchen.
"He's outside on the roof, meditating," Leo answered, switching hands to lean his head on, eyes still on the TV. "He's been out there for about half an hour."
"Oh, well he'll come in when he's ready," April said, making a pot of tea. "Casey said he might pop round for a bit, later. Said he cleaned up the town of all the filth, so no more heads to bust." She smiled fondly.
"Yeah right, he probably couldn't handle them all and is coming round here to ask us to help," Raph snorted.
"Yeah, I'm bored, I wanna do something," Mikey said from the floor behind the couch. He and Donnie had given up looking for the popcorn, but when they both stood up and spotted the bowl on the couch, they shook their heads and sat back down, on the floor.
"Watch the movie," April suggested, pointing to The Terminator.
"We've already watched it once," Mikey moaned. Donnie nodded.
"Play a game then!"
"What about Twister?" Mikey asked his brothers.
"What about Hang man?" Donnie suggested.
"Hang Mikey," Raph grinned.
Just then someone knocked on the front door, and they all shut up and turned to look at it.
"Yo, Ape, s'me," Casey's muffled voice called through.
Everyone seemed to unfreeze and April moved towards the door. She opened it and Casey's smiling face walked in.
"Yo guys," he said, nodding once.
"Yo Casey," they all said in unison.
"Man, you look like someone's just died," Casey joked. Then his grin vanished and he said, "Where's Splinter?"
"Oh, he's okay, Casey," April laughed. "He's outside." She pointed to the kitchen window.
"So, sup?" Casey sat down in the armchair; his hockey stick was leant against the coat rack when he came in.
"The ceiling," Donnie said in a dead tone of voice.
Ha ha, that was funny," Casey said, sarcastically. "Whatcha been up to then? At least tell me something interesting."
The guys all looked sidelong at each other. Since they were taking too long to answer, April smiled and answered for them.
"They were invited to a friend's dinner," she said, glancing at the guys who looked at her as though she had spilled some great secret.
Casey's eyebrows rose the fell. "Who?"
"A friend," Raph said, firmly, glancing at April, as though warning her not to say who.
"Yeah, and Mai cooks the best dinner," Mikey said happily, glad he had a topic to talk about now.
"Mai?" Casey cocked an eyebrow again. "So it's a girl, eh?"
"Oh, No, Mai's her sister!" Mikey said, glancing at Raph who was shooting him death glares.
"HER sister? She's still a she then?" Casey grinned. He saw all the guys seemed to be looking anywhere but him. "Aw c'mon guys, I'm not THAT bad to talk to. What was her name, it was the one who was here when I took April out for dinner, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, her name's Prida," Donnie said. What was the point, it was only embarrassing Raph the most.
Casey sat back. "So what did you do?"
"Ate dinner, whadda ya think?" Raph said, with a strong sarcastic tone.
"Raph's just a sour mouth," Mikey said, "we played Twister, it was cool - and Leo got all the easy colours, like . . . "
While Mikey went into detail about their game of Twister, and Korey, Mai's boyfriend, had joined in, April started to make some pasta for the guys, who said they were starving. Casey didn't ask for any, he said he was stuffed, and that just beating up the scum in the town was enough for him.
When everyone who wanted pasta had been supplied with it, and April sat down on the armchair arm next to Casey, Ape suggested something the guys didn't expect for her to say.
"So, guys," April drew their attention away from The Terminator, who was now crawling after Sarah, his metal skeleton showing now his skin had been ripped away. "Yu know what you should do now, that'll be nice?"
They stared at her, all raising their eyebrows slowly.
"What?" Mikey asked, after a two second hesitation.
"You should invite Prida around here for lunch," April said, smiling.
They all stared. Casey looked at their expression. They were all blanc. Then they all unfroze and started stuttering about what could happen if she stayed here too long, and how she might come over too many times, and how she might notice something.
April and Casey laughed. The guys' faces were red slightly, except Mikey, who looked thoughtfully at the ceiling and then grinned at April.
"Actually Ape, that would be great!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
"April - Mikey - we couldn't," Leo sputtered. "What about Master Splinter? He would be shut up again, and we can't show her! And what if - if she sees something or -"
"Leo, you need to lighten up, chill out dude!" Mikey said. "C'mon, this could be fun, I mean, it's returning the favour. She's our friend . . . How many times have we been able to invite friends to dinner?"
Leo opened his mouth then shut it, decided to open it again but thought better of it. He was doing good impressions of a goldfish.
"But what ABOUT Master Splinter?" Donnie asked quietly. "We can't shut him out again, it's not very fair . . ."
"We can talk to him, ask him, he'll understand," Mikey assured him.
"But we slip up so much," Leo regained his voice. "Especially Mikey. What if something big spills out?"
"Leo, chill, we can be careful, right guys?" Mikey looked happily at his other two brothers, and then at April, who shrugged, smiling, and nodded. "Wicked! So whadda ya say, Leo? Please!?"
Leo stilled looked as though he strongly disagreed. But the face his brother in orange was making was too cute to ignore.
"Fine! But YOU'RE asking Splinter," Leo said, giving up.
"Okay!" Mikey said, too happy to actually put much focus in his answer. He turned to Raph, who had not said anything. "Hey, you're agreeing right?"
Everyone now looked at the two. Raph stared at his brother and managed a small smile, though he couldn't keep the anxiety out of his expression.
"Good enough for me!" Mikey said. "I'll ask Master when he comes in."
"You do not have to wait long, my son, I am here."
They all turned to look at Splinter in the kitchen. The window behind him was open, and it was obvious he had only just come in. From the draft caused by the open window that touched their warm faces, it was turning cold outside, as well as dark.
Splinter looked at Mikey, waiting for him to say what he wanted to.
Mikey turned his body around to face his Master. "Well, Master Splinter, we wanted to do something nice for our . . . friend, Prida. And, we kinda wondered if she would be able to join us for dinner after school like we had; but we didn't know if we could because . . . we didn't want to shut you out again . . ." Mikey stopped because Splinter raised a hand.
"I know what you are trying to say, Michelangelo," Splinter said softly and gently. "And I will happily stow away in my room, while you and your charming friend are down here." He smiled, but his sons seemed to wince when he said 'stow away'. "Do not worry, my sons, I want you to be happy, and I want you to invite her for dinner. I do not mind in the slightest."
Splinter was indeed happy for his sons. He beamed inside just because they had made one special friend. And Splinter could sense it. She was special, perhaps more so than they thought. It made Splinter happy, but it broke his heart. His sons would have to give her up to live back in their original lives.
"Thank you Master Splinter!" Mikey said, bowing, then jumping up and whooping. "Hey, this is gunna be so great! We can get games out after dinner, put a few movies on, play charades or somat . . . !"
While Mikey went on, Leo thought of something else. He turned to his Master, who had walked over and sat in his armchair, after Casey had moved from it and indicated Splinter to sit down.
"Master, how will she get here again?" Leo asked. "We can't blindfold her again, I mean the first time was ridiculous."
"No, my son, blindfolding is not an option," Splinter spoke wisely. "I can tell you that it is quite alright for her to know the route to April's apartment. Of course that has to be up to April to decide if she wants you young friend to know of her location. But blindfolding would be too suspicious for a second time, and would not be a polite way to invite a young lady to dinner." Splinter smiled.
"So we can walk her here without blindfolding? Awesome!" Mikey said.
"I still have doubts about this," Leo said quietly.
"Clear your mind of worries and doubts," Splinter said. "I want you to have a pleasant evening."
"Thank you!" Mikey said, pumping his arms in the air. He gave Donnie a high five. "Oh and I'm gunna be the cook! I gotta prepare - I wonder what she likes . . . I'll have a lookie at a couple of recipes, or Raph - you can ask her; and we could have candles!" He looked at April.
"Mmm, I'll think about that one, Mikey," she said, suddenly having a metal image of her place on fire. But then another, more pleasant, image of Mikey and his Brothers, along with Prida, sat at the table, bathed in a beautiful candle light . . . I looked so nice she would have to hint to Casey about it.
"Hey, guys, who gunna ask her . . . ?" Donnie asked, slightly quiet, but the question brought all heads his way. It was a simple question, but they all thought about it as though it were something very serious . . . they had never asked a girl to dinner.
"I think Mikey," Raph said at once.
"Whoa - wha' - why me?" He pointed to his chest.
"Because you're the friendly one," Leo grinned.
"You're the leader!" Mikey pointed to him.
"Well, Donnie's the smart one, he knows the best way to ask her," Leo said, grinning, and pointing to Donnie, who, shy as he was, blanked. He wasn't afraid to ask her, but he wanted to see if this little argument got around all of his brothers before he would say he was going to ask her. It was fun seeing his brothers put in this awkward, but humorous, position.
"Raph's her best friend," Donnie said quickly. "He knows her best!"
"What?!" Raph turned to glance at his brother behind him. "But, I can't ask her . . ."
"Why not?" Leo asked, grin widening. "Donnie's right."
"Because . . . I can't ask her!" Raph said again.
"Who votes Raph?!" Mikey asked, sticking his hand in the air.
Leo, enjoying where this was going, happily put his hand in the air, laughing as Mikey, Donnie and April put their hand in the air. Casey, looking at the all, smirked and put his hand up too. Splinter shook his head, smiling.
"What!" Raph looked at everyone, on the edge of his seat, looking like he was getting ready to run for it.
"Go on Raph," Mikey said, putting his hand down with everyone else. "She IS YOUR friend, I mean, you two hang out more than you do with us."
"Does he?" Casey asked, smirking again.
Raph glanced angrily at him, before softening his expression on Mikey. "You're Mr Nice guy! You can tell her without . . . getting . . . embarrassed - Mikey you tell her!"
"Alright!" Leo ended it there. "I'll tell her."
Raph, even though he looked relieved, looked as though he had lost out on something as well.
"I can't believe you guys are making such a big deal about this," Casey chuckled.
"Yeah well I bet it took you some guts to ask April out," Raph retorted, sounding slightly sour.
Casey chose not to answer, but was glad when Mikey switched on the TV to loosen up the tension.
As the time went by, the guys, mostly Mikey, discussed what they would have to eat when Prida came round. April was amazed how they found it so exciting to have someone come around for dinner. When she was younger, she had quite a few friends around, and it didn't seem like such a big thing. But to the guys, it was. It was like their friendship will be made stronger when she comes round, and that it could never break after that. It was, as she mentally agreed with Splinter through their eyes, a treat to see them so happy.
At a quarter past ten, everyone said goodnight to Casey, who said he should be going now.
"Night Casey," April said, opening the door for him. He walked through and turned around to face her.
"Good night," he said, and kissed her on the lips.
"OoooooOOOoo!" The guys all chorused, then laughed.
April smiled over her shoulder at them, then playfully shoved Casey all the way out the door. A few seconds after watching him down the corridor and down the stairs, she shut it.
"Not a word," she said as soon as she turned around, holding her index finger up at the guys. They only grinned. "It's time you lot went to bed too."
They groaned, but when Splinter agreed with April they got off their butts and stretched, ready to go.
"Donnie, you sleeping down here again?" April asked, on the stairs about to go up.
"Yeah, can't fit four upstairs in that room," he said, smiling. The couch was much comfier than the floor beds upstairs.
"Aw, Donnie, you've been on that couch too long, let me on it tonight," Mikey said.
"Hey, I haven't even been on it yet," Leo spoke up.
"That's because you haven't been injured yet," Raph smirked. "I could arrange it for ya . . ."
Leo gave him a look. "No thanks Raph. And I think Donnie still needs it for his side. It takes days to heal."
"Thank you doctor L," Donnie grinned, and helped April, who was coming down the stairs, with the covers she was providing for him.
Splinter retreated to his own room after saying good night to his sons, and them back. His door slammed shut softly and there was no more noise from his room.
"Okay guys, upstairs to your rooms," April said, hands on Leo's shoulders, pushing him gently to the stairs.
They all walked up the stairs, saying 'night' to Donnie, who was just getting comfy on the couch, smiling before the lights were turned off. On the landing, they said goodnight to April as she walked on to her room.
"Mikey, you're sleeping over there this time," Raph said, pointing to the bottom on the row of three floor beds, where, if Mikey slept there, he was have either Raph or Leo's feet in his face.
"Why?" Mikey asked, knowing what the answer was just after he had said it.
"Because you roll," Leo answered. "Right onto us, and crush us."
Mikey stuck out his lip, but took up the bottom of the beds after he was tossed his sheet and bedcover.
After changing into their grey T-shirts and khaki shorts, they climbed into their beds.
"Hey guys," Mikey called softly, afraid to disturb the silence of the apartment. "At least if you're forcing me to sleep here, put your socks on like me, it kinda muffles the smell."
Raph and Leo rolled their eyes. They knew Mikey was joking, and heard him chuckle as he turned over and silenced, already on his way to sleep. A few seconds later, they knew he was, as his breathing slowed down and he ceased his movements.
Raph listened, then, eyes on the ceiling, spoke.
"Leo," he said very quietly.
"Yeh," Leo grunted, eyes closed.
Raph paused. "Well . . . um . . . I just wanted to . . . I was wondering . . . could I ask Prida?"
Leo opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. He could tell Raph wasn't looking at him. He was surprised Raph plucked up the courage to ask him. But he wasn't surprised that he did.
"Sure Raph . . . sure . . ."
Raph closed his eyes and smiled, then he fell asleep, while Leo turned around, grinning. Mikey snorted at his feet.
Thanks for the reviews, SFAM. Hope ya had a great xmas, I did!