My apologies for not updating as often lately, but my personal life has been kinda chaotic, since a relative is dying. I'll try to update more frequently.
"Donatello, April — I wish to speak to you both."
Splinter's voice was quiet, yet it seemed to ring out across the lair like a bell ringing. Don felt a shiver run through him at that tone — his father only used it when had something important to say, usually something critical. It usually came directly before a lecture or a reprimand — often an embarrassing one, if he wanted to teach all four a lesson at once.
His stomach contracted. Was his father upset that he had made love to April? If he was, Don wouldn't lie — he didn't regret it at all. It had been the most magical night of his entire life, and he had never felt closer to April than he had in her arms.
Perhaps Splinter was upset that Don had sneaked out rather than notifying his family of what he was doing. But he knew that if he had, it would have only made everything more complicated and embarrassing — not just that he was telling his family about his intimacy with April, but the fact that he suspected they wouldn't let him go alone. Raph especially would probably insist on tailing them, just to be sure that nothing happened to them.
Those questions swirled in Don's head as he stepped into his father's chamber, with April a step behind him. He knelt down immediately, and after a moment of hesitation she did as he had. She smoothed her shirt over her stomach, as if reassuring herself that the baby was still there, and then folded her hands neatly in her lap. Her green eyes met his, full of questions he couldn't yet answer.
Splinter sat in front of a low table, with a stick of incense burning in a carved stone burner. His face was grave, but he didn't look angry — just serious and contemplative. Maybe things weren't as bad as Don had feared…
"It has come to my attention that the two of you have begun an intimate relationship," Splinter said in a measured voice.
"Yes, Master," Don said, his hands clenching on his thighs.
"I am not here to forbid your… closeness, Donatello," Splinter said more gently. "But you must exercise caution."
Don wasn't entirely sure what kind of caution his father was urging. April was already pregnant, after all. Or was he worried about the emotional fallout that might come about if things didn't work out between them? Don's fingers curled into his palms at the thought.
"First, caution in your movements," Splinter continued. "You both departed from the lair last night without informing myself or the other Turtles. This was not wise, but I know that you both had your reasons for desiring privacy. And I trusted you to be able to take care of both of you, Donatello." He sighed. "Still, the Purple Dragons are still abroad, and Sarkis must not learn of April's pregnancy."
Almost without his awareness, Don moved his hand to April's, and tightly enclosed hers in his. He hadn't even thought of that — that Sarkis might still be searching for their baby, and that he might have found them during their rendezvous. The idea sent an icy chill through him, and a fierce surge of protectiveness for his child and April.
"Second," Splinter said at last, looking stern. "There is the matter of Donatello's training."
"His training?" April said.
"Yes. I have taught Donatello ninjutsu since he was barely more than an infant, and he has learned a great deal along with his brothers." Splinter looked at both of them in the eyes, one after the other. "I do not wish for this romantic relationship to disrupt his training."
"It won't!" April blurted out.
"We won't, sensei," Don said, squeezing her hand. "We both know how important it is."
Splinter smiled slightly, and reached out to touch both of their shoulders. "That is good, my son. You are both young, and your feelings for one another should be cultivated and encouraged. But it would not do to neglect other parts of your lives at the same time."
"We know," April said softly. "I won't distract Don from his ninjutsu, or his family."
"You are a part of our family, April," Splinter said warmly.
April looked at Don, and he felt his heart clench at the uncertainty in her eyes. But he felt her slender fingers slipping between his thicker ones, gripping his hand tightly against her knee. She drew him closer to her and lightly touched her lips to his, her other hand brushing against his face, and he felt warmth briefly ripple through his skin. He wanted to pull her tightly into his arms, kiss her until they were both gasping for breath, but not while his father was watching them.
Splinter waited quietly for them to part, his dark eyes watching their faces. "This brings me to my next request," he said diplomatically. "I would appreciate it if you would be… discreet in your closeness around one another, when you are around myself, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo. I am not barring you from showing affection, but I ask that you consider others whenever you do."
"Don't make others uncomfortable?" April supplied.
"That is what I mean," Splinter said, smiling. His eyes had softened further as he looked down at their intertwined hands, and Don concluded that his father probably meant something like, "Don't make out in front of your brothers." He hadn't been planning to, but he supposed Splinter wanted to make it clear that he shouldn't, just in case Don or April got carried away.
"And having warned you both," Splinter said quietly, "I wish to say that I am glad you are together." He bowed towards April, closing his eyes. "Miss O'Neil, I ask that you be good to my son."
April's face flushed and her shoulders hunched forward slightly. "I — I didn't think I—"
A loud thump came from outside the shoji screen, followed by a muffled "ow!" in what sounded like Mikey's voice. All three immediately looked towards the door, and Don saw Splinter's thick gray brows draw together in displeasure. A murmur came from behind the door, and Don realized that his brothers — possibly all three of them — had been avidly listening in on the entire conversation.
Splinter sighed heavily, looking somewhat embarrassed. Without another word, he rose and moved out of the room, sliding the door open and stepping out. Don caught a brief glimpse of his brothers huddled outside, Mikey sprawled on his stomach while Raph and Leo crouched over him, before Splinter firmly shut the door with a thump.
A few minutes of silence followed. Don could hear his heart beating rapidly, and the soft whisper of April's breath as she stared straight ahead at the wall of Splinter's room. He desperately wanted her to say something — to let him know that everything was all right with her — and that she wasn't too uncomfortable with what Splinter had said to them. She had seemed troubled when his father had asked her to be good to him.
"Does this mean — we're in a relationship?" he finally said.
April seemed to break out of a trance, and looked at him in surprise. "Yes, Don. After last night, I — I thought you knew."
"I wasn't sure. I don't know much about it," Don confessed, caught up in her wide green eyes. He took both her hands and gripped them between his, feeling her smaller fingers flutter against his skin like the wings of doves. "I mean, all I know about relationships is what I've seen on TV, and I haven't seen that much. I wasn't sure if — if last night meant that we were really together, if neither of us said we were."
"I thought that you would assume we were, once we — made love."
"I didn't want to assume that, in case it wasn't what you wanted."
April smiled softly and rested her forehead against his. "Well, I do want it. If you want us to be, we are," she said.
Don stared at her for a moment. "I do," he said quietly.
Warmth flooded her face, and she kissed him lightly. "I'm glad about that," she said.
His arms slipped easily around her, his hands resting against her back as he drew her close to his plastron, burying his face against her shoulder. This time, they didn't kiss — Don just wanted to revel in April's presence, to sink into her warmth and softness and never emerge. She in turn rested the side of her face against his head, her eyelashes brushing his skin as she closed her eyes.
They remained like that for a while. But finally Don raised his head slightly, and sighed.
"So what happens now?" he said.
She looked a little confused by that, but her brow smoothed as she seemed to remember the beginning of their conversation. "I don't know, Don. We're — we've done almost everything backwards. I'm pregnant, then I moved into the lair, and now we're together."
"I guess we'll have to figure it out as we go," Don said.