Epilogue

"You okay in there?" He listened for a response behind the closed bathroom door.

"Yeah, I'm almost done." He chuckled.

"You said that twenty minutes ago." He heard her laugh across the room.

"Beauty takes time, Leonardo." He smiled at her playful reply and laid back against the pillows, placing his hands over his plastron, as he waited for her return, shutting his eyes while he embraced the moonlight that beamed from the open window, drifting off into his non-forgetting memories.

"You alright in there?"

"Y-yeah, just a minute." He nervously laughed.

"You said that like twenty minutes go."

"I know, I know. I just…give me another minute, jeez." He walked towards the bed and sat on the comfortable mattress, waiting until she would appear, twiddling his thumbs as he looked around the room. It was dark, only the cascading light from the full moon was seen. Their new bedroom was big, filled with Japanese artifacts and paintings, just the way they both wanted. Leonardo had told his Father and brothers that he and his wife would return to New York within a week. He blushed when he remembered how his brothers teased him before he took his leave to Nagoya earlier that day, or fifteen hours ago, give or take.

"Once a leader always a leader, huh Leo?"

"Ya better treat her the best way ya can. Remember, she's a kunoichi."

"Have as much 'fun' as you want!"

Leonardo shook his head as he tried to forget about everything else besides her and their wedding night. He fell backwards onto the mattress with his arms spread out, feeling more nervous as the minutes pass. His heart raced faster, his palms grew sweatier as he felt his cheeks heat up. He was in full nervous mode, the more nervous he had ever been; facing past enemies was nothing compared to the night filled with first time intimacy.

He breathed out, trying to calm himself down, but was alerted when the door opened, letting out a florescent light into the naturally dim bedroom. He lifted his head as he took notice of her wearing a white silk kimono, hair tied up in a bun, and make-up less. He felt his heart stop as she began to walk towards him.

"Sorry, you waited a while." He shook his head.

"N-no. It's alright. You…you look beautiful." She sighed.

"Leo, don't say things that you don't—"

"I mean it Karai, you're breathtaking." She lifted her jade colored gaze and softly smiled at him, showing off her sharp fangs.

Leonardo sat up and walked towards her, closing the space between them. He stood in front of her, looking up and down at her form before placing his hands on her now wider hips grasping the silk material with his fingertips. His azure gaze stared back at her constricted pupils, leaving behind his fears and nervousness.

They only heard their breathing as they continued to look at each other before averting their eyes away. Her hands were situated on his now broader shoulders, as her fingertips twiddled the tails of his blue mask. He still wore his ceremonial attire, blue and white ribbons wrapped around his wrists and biceps, flowing down his body.

"Leo?" He lifted his gaze.

"Yes, Karai?" Her hand gripped his shoulder as she tried to speak through her unrelaxed demeanor.

"Will you…will you…" He waited for her to finish for he did not want to rush her, especially on such a night. His right hand reached up to caress her smooth cheek, trying to soothe her nervousness.

"Karai, I promise." She stepped back from their embrace and took his hand away from her face prior to placing a peck on his cheek. He softly smiled and blinked as she pulled him forward, leading him to the bed.

"I think I got sunburned today." She frowned as she caressed her face, trying to let the moisturized cream sink into her skin. "I should've worn more sunblock." His eyes opened, with a tint of blush across his face.

"Yeah?" His eyes scanned her body, focusing on her revealing fair skin. Her black nightgown only reached the middle of her thighs as the thin straps showcased her slightly red shoulders.

"I'm not going outside for a week." She playfully glared at him. "It's your fault." He smiled as he shook his head.

"You're right, it's all my fault." She grinned while slowly strolling towards him, swaying her hips a bit more than usual, capturing his attention that way. He sat up on his elbows as an arm reached out for her to lie down next to him, and she did. His left arm cradled around her lithe body as she rested her head on his plastron, gently running her fingertips across his chest while snuggling closer to his warm body. He adored the moment they had, being next to each other with such silence.

"Aishiteru."

He peeked down at her, smiling when her eyes closed as she listened to his heart beat while he took the benefit of gazing at her flawless beauty. He softly smiled as he noticed the rough skin on her shoulders where her scales used to be, the soft scratches on her chest, and the punctured markings on her bottom lip where her fangs rested. Leonardo leaned closer to place a kiss on her forehead before whispering in a soft yet strong voice, "Aishiteruyo, Karai." He rested back onto the pillows as he closed his eyes, tightening their embrace. "Just the way you are."

Another attempt of fluff, but somehow it didn't really came out that way. I like to imagine that Leo and Karai speak Japanese to each other. I find that cute and sexy. I also believe that Leo has more appreciation with the Japanese culture and that the brothers learned the Japanese language first and then English (by watching television and such-as I did!).

Oh, and how did Karai manage to bring a mutant turtle to a plane to go to Japan?

She has connections.