The song is "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. I would suggest listening to it while reading. The bold text is Giuseppe's dream. Thank you!
My Love Song
Requested By: mechagigan2004
Anime: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012-15
Reader:
Giuseppe
Male
19
Brown hair around or above ears, brown eyes, tannish skin, 5'6", black shirt, black cargo pants, black army boots.
The turtles, Master Splinter, and April
Kryptonian
Flight, super-strength, advanced hearing, heat vision
Character:
April O'Neil
Female
16
Ginger hair, blue eyes, pale skin, blue denim shorts, elbow-length black shirt with yellow and white sport shirt over it, 5'1".
Human-Kraang hybrid
Telekinesis and Ninjutsu
Plot: During and after episode "Fungus Humongous".
Relationship: Best friends. Both want to be more, but both are afraid to make the first move.
Word Count: 3, 445
Giuseppe punched through another one of the fungi mutants. His back bumped into something hard. Whirling, his fist stopped two inches from Leo's face. Leo sighed, using the flat edge of his katana to move the young Kryptonian's hand away from his nose.
"This area's clear, Giuseppe." The brunette straightened, looking down at the turtle.
"April?" His heart dropped when Leo shook his head.
"Not here." The eldest mutant ninja turned, sheathing his blades. "Come on. Let's see if the others had better luck." Giuseppe nodded, lifting off the ground as he followed the ninja through the sewers.
'April…' A picture of the redhead flashed through the Kryptonian's mind. 'I hope you're okay. You'd better be… or I'll never be able to forgive myself.'
#~#~#
It started off a normal day. Casey, April, and Giuseppe were waiting till the alley was clear before heading into the sewers to hang out with the turtles. April and Casey were sitting on a bench, while Giuseppe sat on the ground next to April. He was pretending to be asleep.
"I have to admit, Casey. It's awesome to have someone else that knows about the turtles. I didn't have anyone to talk to." Giuseppe butted April's leg with his head, resting his head in her lap.
"What about me, bellissima1? I've known about the turtles a lot longer than Casey." He pouted, resisting the urge to smirk at the girl's blush. "Non sono forse vale di parlare con il mio amore2?" He finally allowed a small smirk when her blush deepened.
"Well… I…" Giuseppe hushed her with a gentle finger.
"I'm teasing April." Her blush deepened further, though her lips twisted into a slight frown. The brunette Kryptonian chuckled, letting his hand drop from her mouth back to his legs. He kept his head where it was though. He smiled to himself. 'Your blush is just one of the many things I love about you April.'
Finally, the street was clear. Giuseppe moved the manhole cover with a finger, smirking at Casey's glower of jealousy. The Kryptonian merely shrugged, holding a hand out to April. She giggled, letting him help pull her to his chest as he jumped down the pipe, leaving Casey to use the ladder. Both men had romantic feelings towards April, and they knew she felt the same way about one of them. Unfortunately, only Casey knew who for certain, and that led him to be particularly hostile towards Giuseppe, even more so than Donatello.
"By the way, Casey." The street punk looked down at the Kryptonian, who was hovering right over the sewage, not letting his army boots get caught in the junk. Casey rolled his eyes, purposely landing in the slop to try and splash Giuseppe. It didn't work.
"What?"
"Why do you wear the mask? It's not like the turtles don't know who you are." Casey shrugged, walking alongside April.
"For the same reason people have worn masks throughout history." He pulled the hockey mask down. "Because it looks cool." Giuseppe and April exchanged a glance. "Though it doesn't do anything for the smell." For once, Giuseppe found himself agreeing with the street punk.
"Seriously, April. How are you not bothered by this?" The redhead shrugged.
"I had to live down here for a few weeks. You get used to it." She sniffed, before putting a hand over her own nose. "Something does smell really bad though. Like… moldy cheese and puke." Just then, a terrified scream sounded through the tunnels.
A sewer worker came running out of one of the tunnels, screaming "Giant mutant squirrel!" Giuseppe flew out of the man's way, watching him run. Exchanging a glance with his friends, the teens went after then man. He disappeared.
Giuseppe hovered, looking around, trying to see if he could hear him. He couldn't. "That's odd. It's like he just… vanished." April gasped, catching his attention. "April?"
"Something's wrong." Giuseppe set down, resting a hand on her shoulder. She pressed into his touch as they began creeping down the pipe. It all went downhill when she looked into an adjoining conduit.
Something was sprayed all over her face. Giuseppe steadied her as she stumbled. "April? Are you okay? What was that?" She looked up at him…
And screamed. Shoving herself away from him, she bolted down the tunnel. "April!" He flew after her in time to see her scream at nothing, before running away again. Casey caught up, exchanged a glance with Giuseppe, and turned around to run to the lair.
わが愛歌
To say that Donatello… well, all the turtles… were upset that the two had lost April would be a horrendous understatement. Donatello was literally seething with rage, and Mikey's quip about April being eaten by a giant sewer snake didn't help matters. Leo and the others were bothered by the redhead's disappearance, but weren't as confrontational as Donnie.
By confrontational, I mean Donnie was practically begging for a fight. He would yell and insult Casey every chance he got. Giuseppe would have received the same treatment, but, being a Kryptonian with super-strength and the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes… helped instill a healthy amount of fear into the seething scientist's psyche. Which left Casey to be the sole recipient of Donnie's anger.
Leonardo and Giuseppe had headed the group. The blue-masked ninja glanced at the Kryptonian several times, looking away when Giuseppe returned the glance. Finally, the brunette asked why Leo kept looking at him like that. In a low enough voice that only Leonardo could hear, of course.
"You love April, don't you?" was Leo's answer. Giuseppe hadn't responded, which gave Leo the answer he was looking for. "Why don't you say anything?"
"Because Donnie and Casey have made it very clear that they hold feelings for her too." Giuseppe floated over a particularly pungent flow. "April doesn't need another lover wannabe. She needs a friend, and, right now, I'm perfectly happy being that for her." Leo had nodded, resting a hand on the bothered teen's shoulder.
"We'll find her."
"I know that. I'm just worried about how we'll find her."
#~#~#
"Giuseppe? Giuseppe!" The brunette blinked, shaking his head.
"Sorry Leo. What?"
"You zoned out. Are you alright?" Giuseppe nodded, helping Leo leap over the gap. The turtle rode piggyback on the Kryptonian's shoulder blades as he descended into the cavern. "You were thinking about April."
"I'm worried about her, Leo. What if…"
"Don't go there, buddy." Leo leapt off, landing silently on the ground. "Keep your head up. We'll find her." Giuseppe nodded, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
"Let's go." They ran into the cavern, and were immediately swamped by dozens of little mutated fungi. Giuseppe punched through several, Leo using his katana. Finally, Giuseppe had to resort to using both his hands and his eyes.
"Giuseppe don't! Your heat vision will make them implode!" Leo's warning came too late. Giuseppe's face was covered in the spores' fear dust. The Kryptonian stumbled back, falling off the edge. He rolled uncontrollably until his head made contact with something hard. He blacked out, but his sleep was far from peaceful.
#~#~#
"Hello?" Giuseppe wandered through the blackness. He couldn't hear or see anything, making him quite frightened. Suddenly, his ears picked up on a very familiar heartbeat.
"April!" Giuseppe whirled, smiling. He couldn't see where he was going, but he didn't care. Instead, he let his ears lead him. Finally, he was able to make out a figure of a girl. His heart stopped, however, when he saw her glowering at him. "April?"
"You're a fool, Giuseppe. What makes you think I would ever love someone like you?" Giuseppe felt like his heart died. "You're an alien. You're just like the Kraang!"
"NO! No I'm not!" Giuseppe clenched his hands over his heart. "I'm not like the Kraang, April!"
"All of you aliens are the same."
"No! I'm nothing like them! I would never hurt you, April! I love you!" April threw her head back, laughing.
"As I said… you're a fool! I would never love an alien who doesn't have the guts to stand up for his supposed love. You just let Donnie and Casey quarrel over me like I was a prize to be won!"
"I stepped back because you wanted me to! You didn't want me involved!" Giuseppe's fingernails began to dig into his palms. "You said that I shouldn't get worked up about their quarrels because they were pointless!" His eyes widened when he saw April began to fade.
'The spores! This is all just a dream!' Realizing that, the Kryptonian began to run towards the girl. 'And just like all dreams, I know the way to get out of it!'
The fake April began to step back. "Wait! What are you doing!? You wouldn't hurt the girl you love, would you?" Giuseppe grabbed her by the neck.
"No… I wouldn't. But you aren't il mio amato3. You aren't April!" Squeezing his hand, he snapped her neck… and was spun into oblivion.
#~#~#
April shook Giuseppe's shoulder. "Giuseppe! Giuseppe wake up!" The Kryptonian moaned, slowly opening those brown eyes that she loved so much.
"April?" The older teen slowly sat up, holding his head. "What the he-" He was cut off by two pale arms wrapping around his neck. April buried her head in his neck, breathing a sigh of relief that tickled his skin.
"You're okay. Thank goodness." Recovering from his shock, Giuseppe returned the embrace. He loved the way her body fit against his. He nuzzled her hair with his nose, breathing in her scent.
"I should be saying that to you. You scared me half to death when you disappeared like that." Neither noticed the figure standing in the shadows, watching them. "What did you see that made you so scared?" April stiffened, pulling back. Giuseppe held her hands in his. "April?"
"I… I thought…" April turned her head away. "I thought I saw my father. My mutated father." Giuseppe's eyes widened.
"Oh. I see."
"Were you… were you affected by the stuff?" Giuseppe nodded, pulling her up. They began walking towards the exit. "What did you see?"
"Nothing that wasn't true." He turned away this time. "At least… I hope it isn't." April tilted her head in concern.
"What do you mean by that?" Giuseppe shook his head, smiling at her.
"It's nothing, amore. Don't worry about it." Something buzzed in his pocket. Taking it out, he looked at message on his phone screen. "Sorry. I have to go. Uncle Clark's expecting me back home for dinner."
"Oh… okay." April blushed as he kissed the back of her hand… just like thousands of times before. "See you later."
"Addio, amore4." She watched as he flew up the nearest manhole cover. A hand on her shoulder made her jump. Whirling, her Tessen was barely caught by a three-fingered hand.
"Whoa!" Donnie exclaimed. "Careful where you swing that thing." April sighed, letting her hand drop.
"Sorry Donnie." The scientist smiled softly.
"Come on April. Let's take you back to the lair."
"Yeah. That sounds good."
わが愛歌
April sighed to herself, reclining further into the couch. She knew that Donnie had been around Giuseppe longer than her. She knew that he had heard what Giuseppe had been dreaming about under the influence of the mushroom spores. What she didn't know… was why he wasn't telling her.
'Well… only one way to find out. Ask.' Standing, she walked over to the lab, where Donnie had holed himself up after the battle. Knocking twice, she opened the door. "Donnie?"
"Over here April!" She walked around his desk to see him hunched over vials. He didn't look up. "What is it?"
"Um… do you… ya' know…" Donnie sat up, turning to face her. "Know what Giuseppe was dreaming about?" The scientist's brown-amber eyes widened slightly. Sighing he nodded.
"Yeah." April sat down on the desk.
"What was it?"
"Do you mind if I answer with a question?" April nodded. "How do you feel about Giuseppe?" April tilted her head.
"Meaning?"
"Do you like him? As in… the way I like you, or the way Casey likes you." April's eyes widened. She had been expecting a question like 'What did you dream about?' or, more likely, 'Are you sure you want to know?', not 'Do you like him?'.
"Would… would you be upset if I said yes?" To her surprise, he shook his head. Donnie actually smiled.
"Not really. I kind of figured, actually." He chuckled. "It wasn't that hard to see, April, even for me. The way you looked at him, how you would blush if he called you his love in Italian, even your interactions. You love him."
"I… I don't know what to say, Donnie."
"Then don't say anything. Just listen." She nodded. "Giuseppe's dream was about you. Well, you not returning his feelings of love, to be more specific." April gasped.
"You mean…"
"Giuseppe loves you. Even more than I do." Donnie turned around, picking up one of the vials. "Which is why I made this." April took it from him, looking it over. It strangely looked like Kryptonite.
"What is this?"
"A serum that will give you the powers of a Kryptonian." April's eyes widened as she looked at Donnie. "I had some of Giuseppe's blood on hand from the last time he was injured. I'll save you the lengthy explanation to tell you that it's perfectly safe, and will work."
"I…" Standing, April wrapped her arms around Donnie's neck. "Thank you, Donnie. I'm sorry things didn't work out." He chuckled, returning the embrace.
"I'm just glad you have someone that'll protect you to a much greater degree than I ever could." Donnie pulled back. "Now, how about you go and see him, okay?" Nodding, April looked at the vial, before lifting it to her lips and downing it in one gulp.
Her eyes burned momentarily, flashing red for the briefest moment. Placing the vial back on the desk, April flexed her fingers, feeling the strength. At the same time, her body felt lighter. Concentrating, she smiled when her feet lifted off the ground.
"Good luck, April." The redhead smiled at her friend, gently kissing his forehead.
"Thank you Donnie. For everything." He nodded, smiling back at her. Turning around, she flew out of the lair, heading straight for Giuseppe's house.
She burst up through the sewers, soaring into the sky. A thrilled laugh passed her lips, quickly followed by others. She had always wondered what it was like to fly, and now she knew. But even more than that, she now knew that the boy that held her heart in his hands… had given his to her. She soared through the clouds, smiling as she dragged her hands through the airy fluff. Below, a song came on the radio. April was surprised when she heard it, but smiled and began singing along nonetheless.
"Like a small boat,
On the ocean.
Sending big waves
Into motion.
Like how a single word,
Can make a heart open.
I might only have one match,
But I can make an explosion."
#~#~#
"Giuseppe?" The brunette looked up as his uncle sat down next to him. Well, not biologically. Clark Kent, aka Superman, had taken the younger Kryptonian under his wing after finding him wandering the countryside near Venice, Italy.
"Sorry, Uncle Clark." The blue-eyed Kryptonian draped an arm over Giuseppe's shoulders. "I've just… got a lot on my mind." A gentle smiled tugged at Clark's lips.
"It's April, isn't it?" Giuseppe sighed, nodding. "You know what you saw wasn't real, right?"
"That's just it. Whatever those mushrooms shot at us revealed our deepest fears to us. That image may not have been the real, but the fear sure was." Giuseppe's head drooped. "Still is." Clark rubbed his adopted nephew's shoulder, standing.
"Don't worry, Giuseppe. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. Plus, from what you've told me about her, she sounds like one heck of a girl." Giuseppe didn't respond as Clark walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"She sure is… mia bella angelo5." Suddenly, his ears pricked up at the sound of someone singing.
"This is my fight song.
Take back my life song,
Prove I'm alright song…
My power's turned on.
Starting right now I'll be strong.
I'll play my fight song.
And I don't really care,
If nobody else believes…
Cause I've still got,
A lot of fight left in me."
'April?' Glancing over his shoulder, Giuseppe opened his window further. Looking around, he flew out of his room, heading up to the top of the apartment building. No one was up there, but, when the voice started singing again, he followed it.
"Losing friends and I'm chasing sleep.
Everybody's worried about me.
In too deep,
Say I'm in too deep.
And it's been two years,
I miss my home.
But there's a fire burning in my bones.
And I still believe,
Yeah I still believe."
Giuseppe flew into the clouds, turning in place. He whirled when the voice came from behind him. His eyes widened when he saw April, smiling and hovering above the clouds… just like him.
"And all those things I didn't say,
Wrecking balls inside my brain.
I will scream them loud tonight.
Can you hear my voice this time?"
April held out a hand, smiling. Giuseppe smiled back, taking her small hand in his slightly larger one. Her smile turned slightly mischievous… right before she dropped, pulling him down with her. He didn't have time to yelp in surprise before she shot up, singing once more.
"This is my fight song.
Take back my life song,
Prove I'm alright song…
My power's turned on.
Starting right now I'll be strong.
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care,
If nobody else believes…
Cause I've still got,
A lot of fight left in me...
A lot of fight left in me…"
They flew through the clouds, racing, dipping, diving. Giuseppe couldn't believe that the girl he loved now had his powers. That she was singing to him… singing from her heart. Saying everything she couldn't say before, everything she felt, was laid bare to him.
Taking her hand again, he pulled her to his chest. April grinned, lifting a hand to gently caress his face. Giuseppe closed his eyes, relishing in the warmth of her palm. He gripped it with his free hand, wrapping his other arm around her waist. Resting her forehead against his, April's voice was much softer this time.
"Like a small boat,
On the ocean.
Sending big waves
Into motion.
Like how a single word,
Can make a heart open.
I might only have one match,
But I can make an explosion."
"I love you, Giuseppe." He stared down at the girl in his arms in shock. Her crystal blue eyes stared right back. "I really do."
"Oh April." Giuseppe smiled, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Anche io ti amo, mia bella Aprile6. I love you too." She grinned, tightening her arms around his neck. Getting the hint, the Kryptonian closed the distance between their lips. Down below, the song continued playing, but neither paid attention.
Giuseppe tightened his arms around April's waist, drawing her as close as possible. April hummed in appreciation, weaving her fingers through Giuseppe's dark brown curls. He growled, nipping her bottom lip. She gasped, providing him the opportunity he wanted. Not missing a beat, he shoved his tongue into her mouth.
April moaned into the kiss the second Giuseppe's tongue touched hers. She fought back with her own, but ultimately lost. Smirking, Giuseppe began to fly backwards, heading back to his apartment. April didn't notice, being too enraptured in kissing the love of her life.
It was only once her feet hit something soft did she pull away. Both panted as they regained their breath. Leaning back, April looked around. "Is this… your room?" Giuseppe nodded, nuzzling April's neck. She moaned softly.
"I hope you don't mind."
"Not really. It's nice." Giuseppe chuckled, lying down. April smiled, resting her forearms on Giuseppe's chest.
"So… I was wondering…" April smiled, resting her chin on her arms.
"Yes… prestante7?" Giuseppe blinked in surprise. His lips slowly curled up into a smile as he lifted a hand to brush April's bangs out of her face.
"Sarai mio, per sempre8?" April's smile grew. Leaning down, she captured Giuseppe's in a soft kiss. He pulled her scrunchie out, letting her hair free to drape over her shoulders. He rolled them over, pressing his body to hers. When they separated, he heard the words he will never forget.
"Lo farò.9"
i Translations 1-9 are Italian. The kanji means "My Love Song".
1) Bellissima = Beautiful
2) Non sono forse vale di parlare con il mio amore? = Am I not worth talking to, my love?
3) il mio amato = My beloved
4) Addio, amore. = Goodbye, love.
5) Mia bella angelo = My beautiful angel
6) Anche io ti amo, mia bella Aprile. = I love you too, my beautiful April.
7) Presatante = handsome
8) Sarai mio, per sempre? = Will you be mine, forever?
9) Lo farò. = I will.
One down, three to go. Wish me luck!