"...Happy birthday to you!" The song ended with all the turtles clapping. The triplets too, even though they had no real idea what was going on.
They've celebrated Elia's birthday just a few days ago, and now it was the triplet's first birthday.
Mikey had made one colorful cake for the adults and Elia, and three little cupcakes with a candle each for the toddlers, so they each could blow out a candle on their own.
"You have to blow out the candle!" The three-year-old explained to the birthday kids and tried to demonstrate without accidentally blowing out the candles.
Amy, eager to learn new things, mimicked her and leaned forward on Mikey's lap so she could blow out the flickering light. She was delighted when everyone clapped and cheered and grinned up at Mikey when he nuzzled her.
Nix worked his lips, eyes wide. He wanted that too! So he tried to copy his sister and blew, though he was more like spitting out the candle. It worked though and he too was granted an applause.
Ky gasped at that magic and slapped his hands on the tabletop, wiggling on Don's lap. When he tried to touch the flame Donnie took his hands so he wouldn't burn himself.
"Blow!" Elia cheered him on, and Amy's voice joined hers. "Bow! B-low!"
The boy wrinkled his beak and concentrated on the flame, taking an exaggeratedly big gulp of air before letting it out.
The little crowd cheered again and soon everyone was eating cake.
Leo couldn't believe it's been a year already. It felt like they were at the hospital just the day before. And now they were already talking a little, even walking on their own, celebrating their first birthday.
"Can I give them their presents now?" Elia asked giddily. Kion rolled his eyes with a smile and handed her her little pink handbag. The girl grinned widely and pulled out three pieces of paper. She handed each of the babies a piece and the adults holding them unfolded them.
"Aw, such a cute idea Elia!" Donnie praised, holding the picture so everyone could see it.
It was drawn picture of what looked like their garden, with big and tiny turtles playing with blue globs of water. Ky's name was drawn in the sky, same for Amy and Nix.
"Mommy helped with the names, but I made them all by myself!"
"Wow, you're a little artist! We're gonna hang them in their rooms later!"
"Yay!" Elia cheered proudly.
"Well, for our present we're gonna have to go downstairs." Bogen said after clearing his throat.
Raph exchanged a knowing grin with him.
"Are you talking about that secret project you've been doing the past two weeks?" Leo asked.
For two weeks straight, the family had visited almost every day, and every time Bogen and Raph would lock themselves in one of the basement rooms. Sometimes they'd bring some boxes, but they wouldn't let anyone in to see what was inside.
Kion and Telon knew all along, but it was supposed to be a surprise.
"Yup. Come on."
All the turtles followed Raph and Bogen down the stairs to the mysterious room, the toddlers clinging to their parents.
"Ta-dah!"
The door opened and revealed what was inside. It had been one of the unused empty rooms.
Raph and Bogen had done a great deal of work, a photograph wallpaper showed a flowery meadow in summer with various butterflies and other cute animals that were classified as those in this universe. Most of them resembled guinea pigs and over-sized hamsters.
The rest of the walls were painted in soft pastel green and blue shades, and the overhead light was covered in cotton wool so it looked like a puffy cloud.
A green carpet that looked like grass covered the ground. In one corner there was a rather large ball pit filled with colorful plastic balls. Some of the toys from the playpen were there, and a few big plushies and fluffy pillows were in another corner, creating a nest for snuggles.
"That way Donnie and I can keep an eye on them when we're down here in the lab or my gym." Raph explained, chuckling at the way his babies' eyes went wide at the sight of the ball pit. "And we can make the playpen upstairs a little smaller so we have more room in the living-room."
"Kion had the idea for the snuggle corner and brought the pillows and plushies, and Telon gets the credit for the ball pit. Raph and I did the hard work."
"This is wonderful!" Mikey squealed, setting Amy down and she clumsily stepped over to the ball pit. Ky eagerly came up behind her, beating her to the balls and carefully climbing into it. Nix and Amy couldn't get in on their own, so Leo and Donnie helped them inside. Their reward were a few flying balls and laughing children.
"Mommy, can I play too?" Elia asked, tugging on Kion's hand.
"Of course." The dark turtle chuckled, making his daughter grin widely before she joined the toddlers in the ball pit.
"A really great idea." Donnie commented. "And you did it without destroying the house." He joked, knocking on a shelf filled with baby books with big pictures.
"Yeah yeah, we practiced." Raph pushed against Don's shoulder with a grin.
"Well, Donnie, I guess our present will have to wait until they're tired of playing." Leo said, catching one of the flying balls and throwing it back in the pit.
"Wait," Mikey blinked, "what present? I thought we said no presents, since they're too young to understand anyways?"
Donatello and Leonardo exchanged grins. "Oh, we just couldn't resist. Besides, it's partly a present for you too."
The two left for the lab, leaving the rest to wonder. They heard them rummage around in Don's lab and decided to settle down on the soft carpet, watching their children play.
"Do you know what they got?" Mikey asked Raph, who shook his head with a frown.
"Nah, I was busy preparing this room with Bogen." Kion had a knowing smirk on his face, but kept quiet.
After a few moments Donnie and Leo came back, three thick books in their arms.
They piled them in front of Raph and Mikey. The covers varied in color, light blue, violet and apricot. Each of the toddlers' names was on the covers.
"Are those..."
"Scrapbooks, yeah. Go on, open them."
Mikey grabbed the first from the pile, with Amy's name on it.
On the first page was a photo, taken with their shellcell, the day she was born. She was wrapped in her blanket, in the hospital crib. In glittery letters 'Amethyst' was spelled below it.
With a smile Mikey leaned against Raph's shoulder as they watched the album.
Various pictures of Amy; playing one of the shape games with Donnie, playing plane with Raph, sleeping on her belly, smiling at a funny face Leo made, curiously reaching for the shellcell... The last entry was hand and foot prints of her, '1 year' written above. There was plenty of room left for a few years of more pictures.
The other two scrapbooks looked similar. Nix curled up sleeping on Mikey's plastron, his awestruck expression as he reached for the stars and moon above his old crib, him standing with the help of Raph's hands, a glare directed at the camera, him
Ky smiling brightly at the camera, him in the middle of rolling around, him hugging Leo's leg, his tongue sticking out as he tried to stand up on his own with his diapered butt in the air.
Mikey wiped at his eyes to get rid of the happy tears. Even Raph's eyes became a little misty as he nuzzled Mikey's head.
"It's so beautiful..." The freckled turtle sniffed, hugging Ky's book close to his plastron.
"It was a bunch of work gathering all the pictures from all of the shellcells. And don't get me started on the hand prints." Donnie chuckled.
"And all the glitter, I thought I'd never get it off my fingers." Leo joined in. Both him and Donnie laughed out loud when Mikey jumped them, wrapping his arms around them in a suffocating embrace.
Raph grinned and joined the hug.
"Aaaw, isn't that cute?" Kion squealed, grabbing both of his mates' hands and pulling them close with a grin.
From the ball pit the kids watched their parents cuddle for a moment before simply hugging each other eagerly, creating a baby turtle pile with Elia on the bottom, laughing at the fun she was having with her future best friends.
xxxxx
"Not too long, okay? I'm not sure how well they handle the cold." Donnie said as he sat Amy on her boot covered feet in the snow.
The toddlers were bundled in warm jackets and custom made pants and boots, since the turtles here never knew them. It was the first time since they've come to this dimension it snowed.
The news reporter on television mentioned it to be the first snow in five whole years.
Mikey adjusted the hat on Ky's head and the scarf on Nix before he let them tot off, moving clumsily in the strange things on their feet over the snow-covered ground.
Amy rather sat down, grabbing at the cold white substance. She curiously put it to her mouth, scrunching up her face at the cold.
"C-old."
"Heh, yeah, you shouldn't eat snow, sweetie." Leo chuckled. He knelt by her, bunching up some snow to make a miniature snowman.
"S-nooo?"
"Snow." Leo repeated for her, smiling at her wondering expression at the little snow figure in front of her.
"Snow." She said with a grin, trying to copy the figure her fafa made.
"Daddy, up!" Nix demanded, not liking the cold stuff. Raph knelt down and put him on his lap.
"Don't you like the snow, honey?" The emerald turtle scooped some of the snow up and held it out for Nix, who pushed it away with a frown.
"No. No s-now."
Chuckling, Raph put his youngest down and patted his shell. "Come on, snow is fun. Look."
Raphael grinned as he formed a snowball. Nix watched with interest as a familiar shape appeared in his daddy's hands. Curiously his gaze followed the ball as Raph threw it at an unsuspecting Donatello.
When the snow hit the back of Don's head the olive turtle glared at Raph, though it softened to amusement when he saw Nix and Raph both covering their mouths while snickering.
"This means war..." Donnie mumbled and fell to his knees too, forming a ball and throwing it at Raph, who ducked away just in time. They kept throwing back and forth, laughing when Nix squealed in joy.
Meanwhile Mikey kept close to Ky, who curiously kept turning around to watch his footprints in the snow. In the tickling green stuff there were never prints before.
"Mommy. S'at?" He pointed at the prints, looking up at Mikey with wide eyes.
"These are your footprints. Look." Mikey sat in the snow and pressed his hand on the white surface, leaving a hand print behind. "And this is a hand print."
Ky gasped cutely and sat next to Mikey, copying him. He was delighted to see his smaller hand print next to his mother's.
"Han-d?" Ky asked, holding up his own hand. Mike nodded with a fond smile.
"Yes, this is your hand. Very good, baby." Ky giggled, throwing his upper body over Mikey's lap to hug him.
"I wuv wu, mommy!"
"Aw, and mommy loves you!" Mikey squealed, picking Ky up and letting himself fall back in the snow. "Let's make a snow turtle."
Mikey sat Ky on his stomach and let his arms and legs fall heavily into the snow. Then he stood up with Ky in his arms and stepped away so he and his son could watch the shape.
"T... Turle?"
"Turtle. You are a turtle, mommy is a turtle..."
"Amy an' Niss turle?"
"Yes, Amy and Nix are turtles too. And daddy, and papa, and fafa..."
Ky blinked down at the shape and wiggled.
"K-y wanna maye s-nowe turle too!"
Mikey laughed and told his son to stretch out his arms and legs before he gently settled him on the ground, reminding him to hold still. After a moment he picked him up again, grinning when Ky giggled at his smaller shape next to Mikey's.
"Fafa, look!" Amy appeared next to them, Leo in tow.
"Do you know what shape this is, princess?" Leo asked as he picked up their daughter to give her a better view.
"Mommy!" Mikey and Leo laughed.
"Yeah, mommy's shape."
"Turle!" Ky supplied, pointing at the shapes on the ground.
"Very good, Ky!" Mikey praised.
"Mommy turtle and baby turtle." Leo added with a smile, tilting his head.
"Turle?"
"Turtle."
"T... Tur-tel."
"Almost. You're such a smart little princess." Leo tickled his daughter, making her laugh.
Suddenly a snowball hit the back of his head. Leo frowned and turned around, catching the next ball aimed at him and firing it back to Raph, managing to hit him square in the face.
"Oh no, we're under attack!" Mikey exclaimed with joy, falling to the ground with Ky and pulling Leo and Amy with him. "We gotta find shelter!"
"Don't worry, fafa is going to save you!" Leo announced in a heroic way, eyes narrowing playfully as he ran towards Raph and Don to start a snow fight.
Mikey watched them in amusement, enjoying the way their babies laughed at the funny way their parents acted.
Their snow fight became rather serious, Raph and Don teamed up against Leo, just like back then when they were sparring in the dojo.
Deciding it was getting too cold, Mikey subtly reached his arms out to Nix, who eagerly stumbled over to his mother and siblings without his daddy noticing as he was concentrating on defeating fafa.
"Come on, sweeties, let's sneak inside." Mikey stage-whispered, making his way inside with his toddlers in tow.
Inside Mikey made quick work of undressing his children and let them sit on a thick warm blanket in the living room. Through the big windows they could watch the other three turtles tire themselves out in the snow while they drank some warm chocolate milk from their sippy cups.
Mikey sat with them, a cup of hot chocolate in his hand as he watched his mates.
He wondered how long it would take these super ninjas to realize they were alone.
When the sippy cups were empty his children abandoned them and crawled close to Mikey to snuggle up to him, sleepy after this exciting experience. The freckled turtle smiled and grabbed a fluffy blanket from the back of the couch to cover all of the toddlers.
Since it didn't look like his mates would stop anytime soon, Mikey curled up with his babies, yawning as the soft breathing of them lulled him to sleep.
xxxxx
"You think they're old enough for that?" Mikey asked, adjusting his grip on Amy.
The turtles were standing outside, on the street with some other turtles living in The Heights. They all were facing the open field, where a few workers were setting up a firework.
"Look, most of the toddlers in that age are watching the fireworks too." Raph said, motioning to another family with a toddler standing close by.
"They're barely awake." Leo commented, stroking Ky's head from where it rested on Raph's shoulder.
A sudden pop made all of the snoozing babies jump and blink in surprise. The colorful lights in the sky caught their attention.
Despite jumping every time another firework went off, they were mesmerized by the show. Amy reached for them, jerking her arm back an inch every time another pop went off.
Nix got used to the startling sound rather quick, watching the fireworks with wide eyes and open mouth.
Ky on the other hand slapped his hands over his ear-holes, squeezing his eyes shut as he hid his face in Raph's shoulder.
"Aw, c'mon champ, it's not so bad." Raph tried to console him, rubbing his carapace.
Since Leo was the only one not holding a baby, he used his hands to cover Ky's hands to further muffle the scary sounds. He gently turned Ky's head to the light show.
He laughed when their firstborn's eyes widened at the sight.
The family enjoyed the new year's fireworks, standing close together. Things were going well, they had a rosy future ahead of them.
xxxxx
"... Did I miss something?" Raph asked as he entered the dining room.
The table was filled with various breakfast foods, with waffles and pancakes shaped like hearts.
Leo and Donnie were already sitting there, feeding their toddlers. Mikey appeared behind Raph and pushed him to sit on his chair.
"It's the 14th, Raph!" He exclaimed, pressing a kiss to Raph's cheek.
"... and...?"
"Shell Raph, even I got what he meant." Leo snickered.
"It's Valentine's Day!" Mikey exclaimed, making Donnie chuckle.
"Oh... right!"
In this dimension they didn't really know of holidays. They didn't celebrate Christmas, Eastern or Valentine's Day. The turtles mostly adapted to the lifestyle, so their children would grow up like the others.
However, Valentine's Day was one of their favorite holidays, there was no harm to have a little celebration breakfast together, before Donnie had to leave for work and Leo left for the dojo to teach a few police newbies.
Later that night they would celebrate in private, but that was another page in the book.
"When will you be back?" Mikey asked Leo and Donnie. Sometimes Leo would spend some time with the cop in charge of the new recruits, as they got along quite well. And Donnie often forgot time when he was busy with his inventions.
"I think I can get off earlier today." Don smiled at the way Mike's face lit up.
"And I'll make sure to come home right after the combat training."
"Really? That's awesome!" Raph smiled into his cup of coffee at his youngest mate's enthusiasm.
"We could fill the hot tub, we haven't used it in a while." Raphael suggested, earning approving nods. It was still quite cold, and the tub was the second best way to warm up.
"If we don't make it too hot we can take the babies with us, right?"
"Yes, we just have to keep it short, maybe 15 minutes." Donnie mused as he handed Amy a piece of waffle.
"They're probably gonna sleep soon after..."
They exchanged smirks. They barely had time to get physical the past year. It's been easier since their toddlers slept through the night, still they were mostly too exhausted to do much with how the kids kept them busy all day.
So this evening they put their babies into bed after their dip in the whirlpool.
Mikey just closed the door to Nix bedroom after the little one fell asleep and promptly squeaked when he was lifted up by Raph. With a giggle he clung to the muscular neck as the emerald turtle carried him to their bedroom, where Donnie and Leo were already waiting for them.
The skylight was open, revealing the numerous stars. The fairy lights gave the bed a romantic glow. Mikey churred at the sight of Leo nibbling on Don's neck. He pressed his own lips to Raph's neck and licked at the skin, rewarded when the taller turtle churred.
He was thrown on the soft pile of mattresses and the next hour the bedroom was filled with moans and churrs and heavy breathing as they gave into their lust.
After their first round they laid side by side, sated grins on their faces as they watched the stars.
"That was great..." Donnie breathed, snuggling to his mates.
"We should really do that way more often... like, every day would be great." Mikey purred.
Leo laughed and reached over Donnie to grab Mike's hand.
"Since when are you so horny? Mating season is a month away."
"And a few months ago you wouldn't let us touch you at all."
"Oh shut up, that was when I was still sore from laying three fucking eggs." Mikey stretched, turning to lay on his plastron. "Are you seriously complaining?"
Donnie smirked and grabbed the wiggling tail, leaning over to nuzzle his little brother's face.
"I'm not complaining. When you were holding out on us my ass was sore from those two brutes. I think I deserve some compensation, baby..."
Mikey moaned when Don's hand massaged his tail, to excite him for round two.
"Mh, I guess you do." He chuckled, turning his head completely to greet Don's tongue with his own.
A sound from their baby monitor made each of them freeze. Sure enough there were several calls from their babies. "Mommy! Fafa! Papa! Daddy!"
Raph groaned along with Don.
"Were we really that loud?"
"No. And the walls should be thick enough so they wouldn't hear us."
"Maybe they had a bad dream?"
"All of them at once?"
All speculations were not getting them anywhere, one of the toddlers was starting to cry pitifully.
Leo sighed. "I guess that cuts off our Valentine's night..."
"At least we had one round." Raph got up and rubbed his face.
"Maybe they'll fall back asleep... I was kinda not done yet." Donnie pouted. He enjoyed bottoming most of the time, but it's really been ages since he got to top, as Mikey was the only one who would let him.
Mikey kissed his cheek in consolation before getting up. "We just decided to do this every night." He offered with a yawn as they made their way to the kids' rooms. "You can have me for the next two months, I don't care."
"I might take you up on that." Donnie mumbled, squeezing one of the firm sea-green globes.
Mikey giggled and entered Nix' room with Donnie, while Raph and Leo continued to the next rooms.
Nix was standing upright in his crib, gripping the bars with tear-filled eyes and a pout on his face. He reached up to Mikey.
"Mommy... Papa..."
Mikey picked him up and gently bounced him as the baby clung to him.
"What is it, honey? Did you have a bad dream?"
"Scawed." Nix mumbled against Mike's skin, eyes squeezed shut.
"What scared you, Nix?" Donnie asked, gently rubbing his youngest son's head to sooth him.
The toddler just shook his head and buried his face in Mike's shoulder. When he calmed down a little, Mikey tried to put him back in his crib, but the boy kept clinging to him, crying more.
"Oh no, sweetie, what's wrong?"
"Mommy. Sday wit mommy." Mikey felt his heart go out on him as he cuddled his baby close, and Donnie mentally bid round two goodbye.
"Phoenix, my little darling, you have to sleep at some point. It's already dark." Don tried.
"No... sleep wit mommy an' papa..." The little face lifted to look at Donnie and the genius cursed Mikey for passing on his puppy-dog eyes to all three of them.
The brilliant green eyes were wide and tear-filled as his quivering bottom lip stuck out. "Pwease papa... I scawed..."
"Aw Donnie..." With the combined faces of Mikey and Nix there was no way Donnie could deny them anything. He let out a suffering sigh.
"Fiiine, but just for one night. And you're explaining it to Raph and Leo."
"Did you hear that, angelcakes? You're gonna sleep with mommy!" Mikey grinned as he nuzzled his baby's face, walking to their bedroom.
They were surprised to find their older mates already back in bed, Amy and Ky with them. They had changed the soiled blanket for a fresh fluffy one.
"They were scared of something." Leo explained, smiling at the wide eyes staring at the stars.
"Couldn't really say no. They got Mike's freaking puppy-dog eyes." Raph grumbled without heat, scooting backwards on the large bed to make room for his younger mates.
"Don't I know it..." Don chuckled and settled down on the offered space. He pulled Amy closer so Mikey could place Nix in between his siblings. Then Mikey settled on Ky's other side and clasped hands with Donnie, while Leo spooned him from behind.
It didn't take long for the toddlers to fall asleep.
"Happy Valentine's Day..." Leo chuckled, nuzzling the back of Mike's neck when he yawned.
"Happy Valentine's Day."
xxxxx
Meanwhile, ways off in the city's jail someone was having quite the opposite of a quiet night.
"I have rights! This is not okay!" The slender turtle grunted as he strained against the chains holding him down.
"You've lost your rights when you killed one of our own to save a filthy rabbit." The prison warden spat. "And look where it got you. He just left you behind like the piece of trash you've become."
The sub growled at the warden, but he knew the turtle was right. Still. He warily eyed the turtle in a lab coat, holding a cup with blue liquid. When he came closer the sub struggled again.
"Calm down," the scientist said, "it's not gonna hurt. Probably."
He lubed up a speculum and made quick work of inserting it into the prisoner's entrance. The sub grunted in discomfort, groaning when his entrance was spread uncomfortably.
"Why bother with lube? He certainly doesn't deserve it with how he's let a rabbit bang him." The warden grumbled with crossed arms.
If it were up to him, the traitor would've been sent to exile, but the mayor had insisted the sub would stay imprisoned. The scientist showing up made it clear that he was to be used for an experiment.
"None of your business. You have your orders, I have mine." The scientist tilted his head at the sub's frightened expression. "You will swallow this, or death awaits you. Ordered directly by the mayor."
The warden perked up at that. Death? Sure, the sub was a traitor and killed a fellow turtle, but death penalty...
The sub's eyes widened with fear. He certainly didn't want to die. With tears running down his eyes he opened his mouth to swallow the blue liquid. Satisfied, the scientist sat down on a wheeled chair, scooting over to sit between the tied open legs. Using a flashlight, he examined the spread hole, gaze finding the little opening that led to the uterus.
It was still tightly shut, looking like a scar. The warden stood by the side with a frown. What the heck was this all about? It wasn't his place to ask, though.
The sub didn't seem to be in pain. For a while nothing happened. The scientist was patient as he waited. The warden didn't know how long they've been waiting. It felt like hours.
Suddenly the sub jerked, a blush appearing on his face as his hips strained against the straps holding them in place.
The scientist looked at his watch and scribbled something on a clipboard. He placed a mask over his beak.
He started to grin when he saw the mouth of the uterus slowly opening.
"Finally..." He breathed, waiting for another few minutes.
The warden sniffed, feeling his own cheeks redden.
"What is this?"
"Again, none of your business." The scientist took notice of the warden's arousal. "Does his scent affect you?"
Hesitating, the warden nodded. "It's almost smells like mating season... but not as strong." He admitted.
The scientist wrote that down with a nod.
"Interesting. You may go home to your wife. This prisoner is in my custody for the rest of the night." The warden was about to protest, but reminded himself that the other male was higher ranked than himself. With a nod he left the room.
The scientist turned to the sub again, drawing some blood and doing various kinds of tests.
"P-Please... L-let me go... I have t-to..."
"What does it feel like?"
"I... I want to f-fuck..."
"Mhm. Want me to get the warden back? If he's exposed to you longer he might give in."
"N-No! I don't want h-him..."
"What about me?"
The sub shook his head with a disgusted expression, still trying to get some relief by wiggling his hips. The scientist smiled behind his mask and wrote more down.
xxxxx
The next morning a phone rang.
Don's prototype has been sold a few thousand times in the last months, everyone owned a shellcell now.
The mayor shot upright from the breakfast table and hurried to answer the call. His eyes widened when he saw it was one of his scientists.
"Dreon?"
"Mayor Voron," the scientist called Dreon greeted him, "the drug is a success."
Voron eagerly walked to his office so his wife wouldn't overhear and closed the door behind him.
"Did you try it on the imprisoned sub?"
"Yes. It takes effect after about one and a half hour. The sub feels aroused and the uterus opens up. The warden was affected by the scent, though he was still in control. The sub was horny, but in control of his need. The drug works about twelve hours until the uterus closes again."
"Only twelve hours?"
"We're not sure if a larger dose would prolong the phase. But too much of the nightflower could lead to cardiac insufficiency. The dose we used right now works fine, we could try to double it, but-"
"No, no, it's okay. Keep it at that. We're not endangering lives. How is the prisoner?"
"He didn't feel any pain, and after I allowed him to pleasure himself he was calm for the rest of the night."
"Do you think impregnating him would've worked?"
"Unfortunately he's infertile; his womb is completely useless. The sperm would've died inside. If he was fertile, I'm 97% sure it would've worked. The uterus is open, the chances to get pregnant are just as high as during mating season."
Voron grinned at hearing that. The short time frame could be a problem, but that only meant he had to be extra sneaky.
"Thank you Dreon. Can you make two more vials of it?"
"Of course. It's gonna take a few weeks though, we need more nightflowers to get the right amount."
"Don't worry, Dreon. Take the time you need and report as soon as you have the two vials."
"As you wish, Mayor Voron."