Chapter 1 – Reimmersion (several weeks prior to the Prologue)
"Booyakasha"
April, "Revelations: Donnie & April"
.
The still air of the subterranean train station cooled rapidly as the sun set. Retreating sunbeams raised the gracious, long-abandoned passenger hall from a handsome Art Deco relic to a vibrant chiaroscuro scene.
Long shadows stretched their fingers over the stone sunk-relief carvings to plunge into sprays of vast wrought-iron flowers. Perched on the antique wall sconces, solar-sensitive lamps flared to life like tiny stars. Pinpoints in the dark, Donatello had installed them so that he could always see his way in his covert refuge, a sanctuary where he found balance and rest.
His super-secret-sanctuary that April had broken into. In a nice way. As the summer sun was arcing across the New York City skyline, Donnie had been seduced by the auburn-haired young woman into almost of full day of sex. Sex that he'd had for the first time. Sex that was incredible.
With April, Donnie had achieved peace-of-mind in new and highly unexpected ways.
Against the room's chill, April slowly stirred. Drowsily, she blinked against the peachy sunlight that exaggerated the angles of the walls soaring towards the surface above her. Stretching languidly from crown to toe, she ran a mental body check. Her muscles felt stiff and sore, in the very best ways; especially those she hadn't used like that before. All the more reason for future - um, practise.
April could feel Donnie next to her. She lazily turned her head to admire the teen Turtle. Lying on his side with one arm flung over his head in a mock wave, the other curled against his plastron, he looked perfectly at ease, and…beautiful.
To April, Donnie's body was strength and grace kissed by Springtime. Her eyes followed the line of his three broad fingers to where they touched the intricate weave of rug they'd slept on, made love on -
Wow.
They'd made love.
How crazy was that?
Not as crazy as it was wonderful, smiled April inwardly.
She noticed that Donnie's left thigh was curled around her right one. That explained why her leg hadn't woken up with the rest of her body. Pins and needles started to set in.
"Donatello", she breathed, to no reply.
"Donatello", she spoke, louder, her hand gently rocking his shoulder.
- crickets -
Reaching down, April gently disentangled herself from her friend and lover without him showing the slightest sign of cognition. Ninja or not, he was utterly out in the way that only teenagers can be as they sleep; and even more so after the delirious exertion of the past seven hours.
As she moved from Donnie's warmth the cool air nipped her exposed skin. Where were her clothes? Oh, yeah: her pack was behind the dressing screen in the corner, where she'd left it after she'd slunk in that morning. The summer dress she had changed into to seduce Donnie with was lost amongst the sea of rugs and flotilla of cushions over which they'd rolled, and then slept.
'That's OK. It'll give me a good excuse to come back here', April joked silently to herself.
The nimble teen softly padded back behind the screen to recover her pack and get dressed.
As April found her jean shorts and t-shirt, she mused that so much had happened between her and Donnie that the morning felt like a lifetime ago. She smiled thinking how profound it had felt that he'd let her play his body like the phenomenal instrument of power, passion and pleasure that it was.
Better still: there were fleshly frontiers they'd chosen to wait to explore…They were taking things, if not exactly slowly, then at their own pace. They had other ways of achieving peace-of-mind to look forward to.
She was still struck by how a ninja of Donnie's lethal skill was also perfectly tender. And perfectly rough, she smirked inwardly, reminiscing.
April shook her head to clear the sensual daydream. As she finished slipping on her street clothes she felt a tiny pall settle over her. When she was with Donatello – when they had been together – everything else in the universe had fallen away. Cloaked with Donnie's adorations, April had forgotten the Kraang, The Foot, her own confused mutant pedigree, her French exam…everything in real life that ate at her mind on a weekly – nope, make that daily, basis.
Real life certainly could suck.
'Waiddaminute', April started: Cool air; Sunset…'Dammit, what time was it now anyway?'
Crud. She'd been out all day with her T-phone off and she wouldn't be shocked if her Dad was freaking out by now. They all knew she was on-again off-again bounty for Pepto-Bismol aliens and a crazed kunoichi. And, god - she badly needed a shower. April was loathe to go, but she had to get home stat.
It felt dishonourable to leave Donnie like he was a one-night stand; to April he was anything but. She cast another look at him. She couldn't bring herself to disturb such a visibly deep and peaceful sleep - especially since Master Splinter was going to kick Don's butt for missing afternoon practise. If she texted Donnie, his T-Phone might chirp, or worse (what was that annoying ringtone he had?). The least she could do was write a note.
Shoving her arm deep into her pack she tried to fish out paper and pen – harder to do than she thought since she worked almost exclusively by laptop. After her fingernails scraped only crumbs on the pack's floor she gave up. Looking around in frustration, she spied a pen and scrap of paper on Donnie's wooden bureau. His refuge was tech-free, so it made total sense that the cerebral Turtle would record his thoughts old-school!
Chewing on the pen cap, she mused on what to write. Everything she could think of felt corny, or much-too-much for only a couple square inches of real estate. Suddenly a profound moment bubbled up from her memory:
"It doesn't seem to matter how much I try - or try not-to-try; I can't fit in. I don't think I'll ever be anything but a loser, Don."
"April." The Turtle had gently tipped the teen's chin towards his own "Having gotten to know you, I have come to the conclusion that being a loser is tragically underrated. Let's face it: for a loser, there is no place left to fall. Except in love. With you. So colour me lost, Freckles."
His kiss had been tender and perfect.
Inspired, April quickly jotted:
Love you, Loser ; ) Hope we get to do this again real soon? (Pretty please?) A. xoxo
Now, how to make sure Donnie saw it? OH, his mask! Could she find Donnie's mask? In a spot of luck, there it was, a tongue of purple fabric licking out from beneath a cushion. She gently extracted the thick band and placed it carefully on top of her note, which she propped up against Donnie's cute bonsai tree. If nothing else Donnie would have to retrieve his mask and see her note.
Mission accomplished!
The teen quietly hoisted her pack onto her shoulder and moved to the well-oiled door. Casting a final, longing look on her Turtle, April slipped from the room and made her way to the smouldering city above.