Chapter Nine
Emery
"strength, power"
Disclaimer: I do not own the series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Like, at all. It and all its respectable characters are © to Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and ViacomCBS and Nickelodeon. However, all writing contents and semi-plots here are © to me, unless it is stated otherwise. All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I do not own them.
Summary: Life had been simple. Shay moved away from Los Angeles to Montana's deep northwestern woods with her kids. She had a ranch and house. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than L.A. Thing is, she hadn't planned on hosting a bunch of mutant turtles that stemmed from old comics, movies, and shows. Just how far will she and her kids go to protect them from their tight knit community?
Notes: I'm shocked. I'm shocked that I actually managed another update in a short span of time. I know, I know. But here it is, consider this an early Valentine's Day gift, from me to you! Enjoy, my lovely readers!
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"From this moment, every breath you take is a gift from me."
— Lara Croft, "Tomb Raider"
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Saturday. Why did it have to be this Saturday? She knew what was to come the moment she woke up. No reminders. No helpful nudge. No texts or voicemails, emails, calls.
Right. The date. The date for her. The date Georgina had specifically set up for Shay. Shay's date that she had to go on. That date.
Her stomach wasn't exactly doing flips of joy as she contemplated the idea any further. Shay eventually slapped a hand over her eyes, grinding the heels of her palms into both of them.
Don't think about it. You've got work to do. Food to make. And a kid to train for her license. Get up. Get up, ya lazy piece of shit asshole. Now. Do it now. Do it now. NOW.
The next twenty minutes dragged on as she slipped into her morning routine. Time fell away faster than she could comprehend or follow. By the time she was dressed and barely ready to face the world, Shay was mildly shocked it had taken her thirty-five minutes. She originally had been aiming to be ready under twenty minutes.
The morning routine went on. Chickens were fed, horses and goats were released to their respective paddocks, their troughs of water and food close to the barn filled up. She returned with Tlitoo perched on her shoulder and began working on breakfast for everyone. The raven wasn't long in abandoning the kitchen to cozy on up somewhere else, croaking at everyone that passed by.
As she cooked, Shay made a mental note to buy a few more extra things the next time she went to the store, realizing that they ran out of those items more often than she liked. What did she expect when she had four full grown men and two kids to care for, though? Shay knew that it all seemed to be the start of some weird, funny joke somewhere down the line…or a sit-com waiting to happen.
All the while, she ran through checklist after checklist on a continuous loop in her head. As a result, she found herself reserved and withdrawn from the world around her. Shay answered hollowly at first, although nobody directly called her out on her inattention. Shay did catch brief glimpses exchanged when they thought she wasn't looking. There were notes of reserved concern, and that made a pang of guilt lance through her, needle-sharp and just as quick. Once she began working on her second cup of coffee, her doziness began to dissipate, and she eased into conversations more readily.
When everyone was fat and happy, Shay took Korra with her outside and together they headed for the workshop.
"I want you to recite the safety rules for using a weapon," Shay remarked as soon as the sliding glass backdoor glided shut behind them. Korra sighed but nodded dutifully as they descended the stairs from the back porch down. Shay listened attentively, asking her daughter to further break down each rule, what it meant, and why it was important.
It took a good half hour of them working together to break out the targets and turn part of the property into a makeshift archery range. Several of the targets were spread at varying distances, and the targets themselves were varied as well. When they returned to gather their weapons, Shay had them do an inspection of each bow, and all their arrows.
"Make sure the shafts aren't bent or compromised. These aren't exactly cheap, but I need to know if any of them need replacing."
"Didn't you take that survival course last summer when we weren't here? I thought you learned how to make a bow and some arrows on the fly. And like, other stuff too. Like snares and berry-hunting, and making your own fishing lines out of nothing, or whatever."
Shay snorted, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Yes. Fair enough, I did. But do I look like Lara Croft to you?"
"At certain angles," Korra replied flatly back. That drew Shay's lips back into a tight, mildly pleased smile.
"If only I wasn't so old."
"Lara gets old too. You two can do it together."
"Ouch. Way to destroy my favourite video game character." Not to mention, the Tomb Raider franchise is actually younger than I am. Go figure.
"Guess what? Aloy and Ellie are gonna get old too." Korra continued, flashing a wicked smile her mother's way as she slid a trio of arrows into a quiver.
Jesus, savage little shit, aren't you?
Shay bit her tongue. If this had been anyone else, she probably would have gone off on them in a heartbeat. Teasingly, but still.
"Okay, wow. Traumatic repression aside, let's get down to business." It probably didn't help that immediately, Shay's thoughts extended out with, to defeat the Huns!
God, even she recognized what a huge nerd she was.
Shay motioned with a jerking nod towards the makeshift shooting range, belting her quiver on to her hip as she moved. Behind her, and from the corner of her eye, she could see and hear Korra hastily following her. While they walked, Shay peppered Korra was standard safety regulations, such as the first weapon condition of a bow. It brought back memories—and reminders—of safety conditions for firearms.
'Never point your weapon at anything you intend to shoot. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you intend to shoot.'
Similar standards of safety were required for bow-hunting—but at least there was no chamber to check for spare rounds. Shay had been quite taken with bow hunting, and in Montana, her daughter would be of legal age to use one this year for hunting. Once she turned twelve, of course…which would be over a month from now.
Shay began the lesson in earnest minutes later, demonstrating a few shots with aching precision. Muscle memory kicked in as she spoke, making sure Korra was paying attention. A few arrow shafts were imbedded in the targets by the time Shay switched places to observe. She stepped in once or twice to correct Korra's posture. The improvements greatly helped her daughter's shots, and most of them hit in the bullseye.
The ones that didn't took its pound of flesh from Korra's confidence and she sagged every time.
"I suck! I'm never gonna hit anything this year!"
"Not with that attitude, you won't. Look, you hit the target more times than you missed, that's better than a few months ago when you couldn't hit jack shit. I'm proud of you, baby girl! And even if you don't hit anything, I'll make sure we get some venison steaks on the table this year. Okay? Practice makes perfect, though!"
A weak smile pulled at Korra's lips as she glanced up at her mother. Shay opened her arms up and tugged her daughter into her embrace. Korra squeezed back tight, sniffling. The moment came to an abrupt and grinding halt at the heart-rending squeal that pierced the still air. Korra jumped and nearly collided with Shay's chin, squeaking in surprise.
"Wh-what the hell was that?!"
"Hey, language! Do as I say, not as I do." Shay lightly chastised, even as her brow furrowed with concern and puzzlement. A second squeal rose up, sounding even closer this time.
"That…sounded like a wild pig. But I didn't think boar had made it this far into our neck of the woods…" Shay muttered quietly, glancing at her daughter. She was petrified, staring into the tree line with wide eyes that shined bright with terror, looking paler than a moment ago.
"Go back to the house and get my rifle."
"But…Mom, I—"
"Don't argue with me. If there's wild boar out there, I can't have them. They might try to hurt us or the chickens…or someone else."
Korra teetered on the edge, looking ready to argue against Shay but wanting to listen as well.
"GO!"
The hard edge to Shay's voice was the final nail in the coffin that got her daughter scampering off. Korra dropped her bow and ran toward the house.
"Well, you didn't have to fling this to the ground, this ain't exactly cheap," Shay sighed, stooping to pick up the bow. She carefully unstrung the bowstring and set it aside.
The squealing wails robbed any sense of peace. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere in particular all at once. Shay studied the shielded forest, tree trunks lined up in rows, scrub brush and overgrowth hiding secrets. The insects still buzzed noisily, birds calling out on constant loops. Nature at work. Nothing gave pause to the disturbance. That, at least, was a decent sign.
A slight breeze alleviated the heat, caressing Shay in its embrace as she wiped a thin sheen of sweat off her brow.
Movement caught her eye. Her muscles tensed as a whitetail deer came stumbling out of the tree line, its back leg twisted at an unnatural angle and dousing its tawny coat with red.
Its sides heaved, mouth gaping open as it gasped. Shay squinted, worry worming its way into the depths of her guts as she saw that the deer was on the smaller side. She could even make out the faintest speckling of spots that had mostly faded.
The inspection lasted seconds.
Before Shay could move another inch, before the deer could snap its lolling head up, a dark blur came rushing out after the deer. It slammed into the deer's side. A scream rose out of the whitetail, a sound that chilled Shay to the bone. The deer went flying, and the black blur pursued it with a piggish howl.
Two more blurs came rushing after the first, tails raised high as flags, grunting and squealing. They rammed into the deer next, and it flailed its legs as it tumbled through the air and struck the ground. Shay rushed forward, pausing only long enough to nock an arrow and loose it.
Her shot was wild and went flying harmlessly off across the knoll. One of the wild pigs smashed through a target. Wood splintered and sprayed everywhere as the target toppled over. Shay took aim again, leveling her breathing out and…release.
Her aim was truer the second time and struck one of the pigs in the flank. It screamed and bucked wildly before taking off into the underbrush. Shay nocked another arrow and let that fly. This hit its mark as well, this time in the meaty profile. The pig didn't take off, not right away. It was larger than the first and shook its head as though trying to clear it. She loosed another arrow. This struck as well and sent the second pig running like mad after the first.
That left her with the one pig, and the largest of the bunch. It was chowing down on the fallen whitetail, ripping into it with a savagery that made Shay's stomach twist and turn over itself into little pebbly knots. It was closer to her than the other two had been. Buried snout first into the deer's side, it tore off a piece of flesh. Shay gagged, and saw that the deer wasn't quite dead, either. It was weakly trying to kick at the wild pig, nostrils wide and flaring, its watery brown eyes frantic, pleading. The mouth worked up and down, but no sound came out.
Her gorge rose to the back of her throat, acrid and vile tasting. Shay fired, and the deer stilled as her arrow shattered through its skull. Shay then turned her attentions to the wild pig once that was done. It had lifted its head and was now staring her down. It chewed away, gore and gristle dribbling down its snout and out of its mouth. Black eyes glittered with a hunger and intelligence that stayed Shay's hands at first.
Then slowly, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and drew back the bowstring, hearing it creak preternaturally loud to her ear. The heavy resistance had her struggle at first, hands already growing slick with cold sweat. The feathery fletching kissed along her cheek as her muscles burned with exertion. Shay never let her eyes lift away from the wild pig. It continued to eat, but now kept its dark gaze upon her as well, tearing off violent bite-sized chunks. It grunted as it ate, and she could just hear the wet smacking of its mouth.
Another roil of sick twisted her gut further as a shredded coil of intestine plopped out of the wild pig's mouth with a squelch. The little deer remained immobile, wide eyes staring into nothingness. Somehow, she felt like it was still watching her, judging, pleading.
If I miss, that thing is gonna come right at me and try to gore me to death. Shay dared a hasty look over her shoulder back toward the house. Her daughter hadn't come out yet. That was a small relief. Shay returned her attentions back on the wild pig. With a slow exhale, she released the arrow she'd been withholding. The bowstring grazed her cheek as her shot went sailing, quick as lightening toward its intended target. It caught in the hefty meat of the wild pig's back leg.
It squealed madly, blood and gristle flying from its mouth as the boar swung its massive skull back and forth, bucked its legs a few times and charged. Shay groaned as her prediction came to life: the animal was heading her way with reckless abandon. There was an awkward step to its gait as it tried to compensate with its other legs. And it was still fast, real damn fast. Shay had only time to nock a second arrow and let that one fly before it was almost upon her.
Her second shot rang truer than her first and struck right into the side of the boar's face. It let out a blood-curdling scream and veered off course. It crashed without grace, but it quickly rose back to its feet in desperation. Then it went stumbling when its injured leg gave out from beneath it, sending it tumbling through the grass and clovers and weeds. It tried to right itself, but Shay loosed another arrow, and then another. One struck the meaty hindquarters, burying itself deeply into the flesh. The other slammed into the front flank.
A lightbulb finally went off in her head, a distant reminder she had once read when it came to hunting wild pigs: aim right behind the shoulder. That was the sweet spot to put a quick end to things. Shay shifted her aim as she pulled out another arrow and readied her shot.
It was a beautiful thing, to see her aim hit a target in the way she intended.
When she had first begun learning to hunt with a bow and arrow, she hadn't had the upper arm and back strength to pull the bowstring back. Rated at seventy pounds, it had been too much effort and exertion. Shay couldn't even pull the bowstring back halfway. She ultimately had to have the tension reduced greatly, almost to the quality of a child's bow.
It took time and effort and a hell of a lot of pain and sweat, to build up the strength in her back and arms. Little exercises that meant a world of difference helped her get to where she was now. Almost three years' worth of training and she could pull back the bowstring rated at seventy pounds now. Enough strength to take down almost anything.
What a glorious thing to see all her hard work come to fruition as her arrow flew and slammed right into the perfect killing shot.
The wild pig squealed, grunted, body going rigid—and then it slumped over, jelly-like and boneless as the release into death slowly began to take it over. The wild pig struggled to breath and could barely twitch any of its limbs. Shay stalked forward, caution lining her steps as closely as her shadow did. She was tight with strain, at the ready to leap into action if needed.
A shallow gasp stuck halfway in the pig's throat. It released into a heavy sigh, tense muscles unspooling their rigidity, relaxing completely. The dark light that had occupied its eyes was completely snuffed. Glassy, motionless.
And the closer Shay got, she was more than certain that the wild pig was very, very dead.
The tight thin band that had been wrapped across her chest, keeping her breath pinned inside, lessened its hold. Her heart continued to race as she ventured closer, tension wracking her body even after knowing she was safe.
She jumped and whirled at the sound of a voice, arrow nocked and drawn back.
She saw the brothers first, and Korra second. She was so small in comparison and was currently hiding behind Mikey. Her brows were knitted together worriedly as she waved at Shay.
"Is everything good out here? We caught Korra trying to run out of the house with a rifle."
Shay sighed, carefully losing the tension in her bowstring without firing the arrow. She stowed it away and stepped to the side, sweeping a hand to the dead pig behind her.
"Was hoping to use a bullet to take this fucker down, but I managed."
"Holy shit, you shot Wilbur," Mikey softly gasped, a hand rising to cover his mouth. Donnie was adjusting his glasses and took a few steps forward, lips tugging into a frown.
"Are these things common around here?"
Shay returned the frown, stealing a glance back at the pig.
"Wild pigs? Absolutely not. They're considered an invasive species and there isn't a limit on how many you can shoot, and you don't need a permit or license either." She sighed, shaking her head. "And I can tell you this much, if I had my rifle, it wouldn't have taken so many shots to take down."
She heard the rushing of feet hurtling toward her and turned just in time for Korra to fling herself against Shay. She hugged her mother tightly, trembling. Shay brought her arms down, coiling them around her daughter.
"Hey, there. I'm okay. We're okay. Okay? You did what you could, and nobody got hurt. Okay?" Shay said in a quiet voice, rubbing Korra's back as she spoke.
"But you've told me those things can really hurt people loads of times! It could've killed you!"
Shay patted her daughter one last time before pulling away to hold Korra at arm's length. She smiled down at her, wiping away a stray tear that had been streaking down Korra's face.
"Yeah, they can. They use their tusks to gore up anything that pisses them off. And a bear can take my fucking head clean off my shoulders with a single swipe of their paws. There's always a risk living beside wild animals. But as long as you know what to do, you'll be okay. I promise."
Shay was a little startled to see Leonardo crouched beside the boar when she glanced back at it. She hadn't seen him move past her, not even from her peripheral.
"Not half bad," he remarked, lightly touching one of the arrows sprouting out of the pig's skull.
"I'm usually better with deer," she said, shoulders sinking lower, because that was the truth. Stationary targets were, objectively speaking, easier. "When they're standing still, and they don't know I'm there. And it was a risk shooting a boar in the face. Especially with a bow. Tough bastards. Thick skulls."
A broad hand descended upon her shoulder, squeezing. She craned her neck to meet Raph's gaze and she more than surprised to see the glitter of approval and a grin plastered on his face.
"You're the one still standin'. Better you than that thing."
She averted her gaze, brows furrowing in defeat. "Two got away. Not exactly ready to celebrate." She shrugged out of his grip and started back over to the fallen boar. She set down her bow and pulled her phone from her back pocket. "Hopefully they stick close by, and I can take them down later. Last thing I need is some asshole pigs roaming around my place."
She scrolled through her contacts list and found the person she needed, tapped the call button, brought the phone to her ear. She ushered Korra to come along with her but paused long enough to look back at the brothers while the line rang.
"Hey, um…could you bring that out to the porch? I'm gonna have someone swing by take it and process it, yeah—hey! Hey, Wally! Yeah, I know, it's been a while. Listen, I just downed a boar—yeah. Yeah, no…you heard me right, a fucking boar…"
They watched as Shay ambled away with Korra remaining glued to her side, Shay's voice fading the further she away got. Donatello was the first to look away, turning his attentions to the downed wild pig, joining Leonardo.
"Not half-bad. She tried hobbling it first," he said, motioning toward the various arrows in the back legs and the upper shoulder. Leonardo moved his gaze to follow what Donnie was motioning at. Donnie continued, moving his hand to point at the arrows in the pig's skull. "Then she tried to go for the head shot, maybe try to put it to a quick end," he continued, then began signaling to the one arrow in the upper flank, just behind its meaty shoulder last. "This was the killing shot. And that, over there, was a mercy kill."
Donatello first pointed at the boar's side, and then he motioned to the deer down the field, the lone arrow still embedded in its head.
"Remind me to never piss her off when she's got a bow and arrow," Michelangelo joked, masking his uneasiness with a grin.
"Might not wanna piss her off ever, considerin' she's givin' us a roof over our heads and food to eat, and keepin' us a secret." Raph said flatly. He stared between the downed boar and the gory desecration of the half-eaten deer. "She said that boar weren't common down here. What the hell else should we be expecting out here in the backwoods that ain't common?"
"Us," Leonardo replied as he stood up. "But at least she isn't trying to kill us."
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The sound of the doorbell echoed in Shay's ears. She tapped her phone's screen and blanched, seeing the time.
"Shit," she muttered quietly. She hadn't realized how late in the day it had grown.
And now George is here. Great. Great time to lose track of things.
The second string of thoughts hit her harder. She ran her gaze over the four turtle brothers, seeing just how frozen they were, eyes locked in the general direction of the front door. Shay's head snapped in the same direction at the damning sound of the door opening. When she whipped her head back around, the sliding glass door was slamming home, a green hand disappearing from sight as it did.
A little gasp caught her attention, and she turned her head—only to see Mikey standing by the dining room table. His bright blue eyes were the only thing that moved, flickering back and forth between Shay and the hallway leading to the front door.
She started forward, reaching him just in time—
—to stand there beside him as Georgina rounded the corner.
"Hey, girl! I hope you're presentable—"
Georgina's cheerful voice dropped immediately upon crossing the threshold and seeing Shay, disheveled and nervous. Georgina pursed her lips together, looking perfectly sculpted by the deep royal purple lipstick she wore, primly plucked eyebrows raising skyward as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her makeup, as always, was impeccably implied. Shay wished she could look half as good as her friend.
"And what the hell is this?" She motioned a manicured hand toward Shay. The mixed-metal bangles around her wrists clinked merrily as she did so. Shay cleared her throat, eyes darting to the side. Mikey was still there. Cold dread washed over her, heart thudding painfully within her chest.
Fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…
Shay returned her attentions back to Georgina and shrugged. It was then that Shay noticed the body bag Georgina was holding, partly draped over her arm, the hanger in one hand. It was flat, plying easily within the woman's grip.
"Uh…it's me, in my house? What else did you expect, Spiderman and Thor playing poker?"
"I know it's you, but what is that?"
She wished she had a smoothie in hand. She could deflect, be funny about it, maybe get a laugh. And yet her head was a blank slate, and the first thing that came to mind came out of her mouth before she had even thought it.
"I-it's a statue! A statue, life-sized and all that shit! Yeah. Yeah, I-I won it in a raffle. On-online raffle, I won." She said, smiling nervously as she patted Mikey's bicep.
Georgina's lips pulled into a frown, her eyebrows beetling together as she studied Mikey standing beside Shay. He, thankfully, remained frozen in place, but she could feel a slight flex and twitch of his muscle beneath his scaled skin under her touch. Georgina ventured closer, head tilting, her long and straightened hair creating a curtain as she did.
"Is this one of those turtle dudes from that movie your kids like so much?"
Shay cleared her throat and bobbed her head in hurried agreement. "Yep. Yep, yep. It's Michelangelo, all right. Cool dude, really funny, life of the party. Fun guy. Yep." She swallowed past the thick, heavy lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat. Shay cleared it and bobbed her head to the object in George's hands. "What's, uh…what's that you got, George? Are you changing here, or…"
Georgina took the bait, thankfully enough. She broke out into a smile that bordered on conspiratorial, lunging forward to yank Shay toward her. Shay yelped as she was being steered by the woman toward the stairs.
"I knew that you hadn't even started changing clothes, if you were even going to change in the first place. This is a Georgina White original, sweetie. I figured I owe you for all the times you've covered my shifts and had to be alone with Peter for them."
Before Shay was led upstairs, she sent Michelangelo a fleeting glance and mouthed to him, "I'm sorry!"
He relaxed marginally enough to wave back at her and flashed a thumbs up when he was sure Shay's friend couldn't see. As soon as the two were completely out of sight, the sliding glass door to the back porch opened. Leonardo hissed at his younger brother," Mikey, get over here! Hurry up!"
Michelangelo cast a worried look toward the stairs before scurrying over. He ducked away from Leo's grabbing hand, waving his own in a placating manner.
"Whoa, hold on, she's already seen me!"
"What?!" Leo hissed back, glowering at his youngest brother.
"Nah, it's cool, bro. Shay played if off. Her friend thinks I'm a statue!"
He grinned, even in the wake of his older brother burying his face into the palm of his hand.
"That means you have to stay in there and go back to the same position you were in when she saw you when they come downstairs. Great."
Raphael popped into view, scowling at Mikey. "Seriously, knucklehead? You tryin' t' get us all caught?"
"I froze up!" Mikey protested back in a strained, hushed voice. He shot a glance over his shoulder back toward the stairs. He heard nothing, although one of the cats came trotting down the steps, tail raised high like a flag.
"Likely story," Donnie quipped back. He leaned over to stare over Leonardo's shoulder. He peered at Mikey over the rims of his glasses before pushing them back up.
"I'm sorry, okay? I won't get caught next time." Mikey grumbled back, discontent and soured from his good mood.
"Just…keep an eye out. All right?" Leo sighed in defeat. His frustration was on lockdown, but Michelangelo had long since recognized it over the years. Stiff tone of voice, tightened jaw, pursed lips. Michelangelo gave a glance over at the staircase, brow ridge creasing together.
"Got it," he said softly, recognizing that now was not the time for fun and games, as much as he'd prefer it to be just as such. If he got caught, it was over for all of them.
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George was changing in Shay's bedroom while Shay was doing the same in her bathroom. It really was a simple yet very tasteful dress. Deep cobalt, trimmed with gold and silver accents, it accentuated what little curves Shay had. It was long, like a maxi dress, yet it was tailored perfect for Shay's height, and featured a halter-styled top and an empire waistline.
Shay came out as she was patting down the front of the dress, smiling.
"Awwww, you remember I like longer dresses so I don't show off my pale-ass legs! Thanks, George!"
"Girl, until you tan up, I'm afraid you'll blind the Russki quicker than snow at high noon. That's why I designed it that way."
"Oh, har-har. I'm not that pale."
"Your legs say otherwise. Did you at least shave?" Georgina huffed, grinning at the scowl Shay sent her way.
Georgina fussed as she scuttled over to Shay, checking to make sure everything checked out to her standards. She plucked at the material, spinning the smaller woman around to make sure her alterations were holding. What glimpses Shay could catch of George, she was wearing a rather cute wine-coloured cocktail dress with a plunging neckline that showed off her shapely legs, curvy hips, and ample bosoms. She was playing up her curves as much as possible, and she looked absolutely stunning.
And here I am, practically wearing a frock. I hate being part of the Itty-Bitty-Titty Committee. At least I got a real nice ass.
George finally stepped away, nodding in finality and satisfaction.
"I didn't even need to measure you. Damn, I'm good!"
"Are you done patting yourself on the back?" Shay intoned flatly. George pouted back, but nodded again, and ushered Shay back into the bathroom.
"C'mon, I wanna doll you up! Where's your makeup? Ah, there it is. For someone so messy half the time, your bathroom is always surprisingly organized."
"I like the chaotic mess I have in my life, thank you. I can find things in this chaotic mess. You mess with mess; my whole system falls apart! There's a madness to my methods."
"There's a madness to you, all right." George muttered under her breath but said nothing more on the matter.
George worked quickly and efficiently as she rifled through Shay's makeup.
It wasn't that Shay couldn't do it herself, but she knew George wanted to do it. She loved dolling up her friends when she was given the chance, and Shay wasn't going to be the one to deny her that.
"So, we're really going the extra mile to look nice. Not a lot of places to go in town looking like this."
Shay could think of maybe two places in Whitefish to go the way they were dressed.
"That's why we're going to Kalispell. Sushi place." George caught Shay's eye and winked. "You're welcome."
"You sly minx. You know I can't resist the siren's call of sushi! Is that how you plan on keeping me there?"
"You bet your sweet ass it is."
"Goddamn, you know me too well."
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The sun, apparently, didn't sleep until late in the evening this far north during summer hours. This was something they learned quite early on upon their introduction to Montana. The days were long, and the nights were dark.
Donatello was futzing with one of his gadgets, occasionally breaking his concentration to check some other device before turning back to his original task. Raphael was pacing, looking not that dissimilar to a tiger in a cage and waiting to break out. His face was pinched with pent up energy, lips pressed into a thin line.
Leonardo kept glancing inside at an angle, hidden just so by the curtains that were still partially drawn out. Michelangelo was fidgeting on the couch, who kept casting similar anxious glances at the staircase. It was the one angle Leonardo couldn't quite see from where he was.
He sighed.
The shadows were growing longer, he noticed. Evening was coming on, but the light wouldn't fade until almost nine at night, maybe later. The birdsong around them was still going strong, but the day-cycle insects were beginning to grow quiet. Leonardo glanced back inside.
One of Shay's cats was walking past the sliding glass door, the calico one. Bandit. The cat looked at him with lantern-bright eyes, blinked slowly, then promptly plopped over and began grooming a paw. Movement from Michelangelo caught his attention and the orange-banded turtle scrambled over to his previous spot, freezing into position. The other two stirred as well when they heard the muffled laughter from inside.
Shay's friend Georgina came coasting into view, practically gliding on practiced feet that were strapped in a pair of black kitten heels. Her hair was thick and glossy, not a single strand out of place, and she was certainly dressed to the nines with that wine-coloured dress that hugged her curves. Georgina looked ready to hit up a classy restaurant in the middle of NYC and not somewhere in Whitefish.
From the way Shay had described it, it was a quaint little tourist town in the summer for all walks of life, and great getaway for those willing to brave the cold winter later in the year.
He was taken aback by Shay almost as much as her friend when she came into view.
The smaller woman's dress was longer, but it accentuated her form just as nicely as Georgina's did. Deep blue, with silver and gold accents that were threaded along the hem of the dress that swirled upward in a whirlwind. It was simple in design, yet elegant in its own way. It also showed off her tattoos quite nicely.
Something lurched inside him as he saw the two of them laughing, and he dropped his gaze all at once, remembering just where he was. Staring in, from the outside. Like always, unable to join in with others. Leonardo brought his attention back to the inside of the house, seeing Georgina hugging Shay and waving goodbye.
"See you in town!"
Shay gave one last wave before Georgina disappeared completely from sight. Not long after, they could hear the tinny sound of a door slamming home from the other side of the property, an engine starting, and then fading as it drove away.
Shay herself was sagging in on herself. Michelangelo did much the same, as if deflating from relief as Shay trotted to the patio doors and flung them open.
She looked even prettier up close than from a distance, given that she looked completely different with all that makeup on. Blue eyeshadow, accented with gold along the fringes emphasized by perfectly applied eyeliner and mascara. It definitely brought out the blue in her eyes, muting the greys, and making them pop more than usual. Light pink lipstick and a dash of blush topped it all off. She looked beautiful.
"Hey! Sorry about that, I didn't know it'd take that long. Too bad we can't montage in real life, huh?"
Leonardo swallowed, nodding mutely. His thoughts realigned the moment a smack hit his shoulder. He shot a warning look to Raphael as he passed by to hurry inside.
"Earth to Leo, move it or lose it. Damn bugs are tryin' to eat us alive out here."
"Ugh, I'm so sorry, guys. I forgot to switch the bug zapper on." Shay remarked as they all filed inside. Leonardo was the last one, closing the doors behind them as he entered. He froze, grip tightening as he caught a whiff of something before recognizing what it was. Perfume. It was light and subtle, and unsurprisingly, it was coming from Shay.
"Uh, ya…ya look nice," Raphael's voice rumbled behind him. Shay laughed, light and comfortable-sounding to the ears.
"Definitely a different look for you. It suits you." Donatello added amicably while Michelangelo came bounding over the couch.
"Aw, thanks dudes. This is all Georgina's handiwork, though. She made the dress and did my makeup to boot. She's just awesome like that."
Leonardo swiveled on his heel and froze in place upon seeing her. She appeared so thin and wispy in the dress, standing beside his brothers. There was a sort of awkward grace to her as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other in her own pair of strappy black heels. There was a flash of insecurity that danced across her face, but in the blink of an eye, it was gone again.
Compared to how confident and tall she stood in just a pair of jeans, boots, and t-shirt…it was an absolute stark difference seeing her now. She always presented herself like she was ten feet tall when she wore pants. Here, in a dress, there was a strange, uncomfortable fragility to her. Like she'd snap in half if a breeze blew past her wrong.
Leo shook the thoughts from his head. She'd hate that comparison with a burning passion if anyone said that to her and she'd certainly snap them over her knee if they did.
This was the same woman who shot down a charging wild boar without batting an eye just this morning. The reminder realigned things in his head at that recap. Whether Shay was in a dress or in a pair of pants, she had a special kind of way of holding herself high, no matter how small she really was.
"Hope you have fun with your date tonight," he said, drawing her attention. He noticed the drop in expressions from his brothers and she reacted much the same. The smile from her face faded and she rolled her eyes. She sagged backwards; head thrown back in an exaggerated show of aggravation.
"Ugh. Honestly, I'm only doing this for George. And frankly, I'd rather go on a date with any one of you than tall, pale, and creepy from the gallery. I've shown you the pictures already. Not my type, but George has also quite cleverly trapped my ass with the promise of sushi. Can't pass up sushi from the best place in the county."
Mikey made a show of gasping with giddy glee.
"You all heard it straight from the horse-lady's mouth; we all get dates later! That is a verbal contract, it is legally binding!"
Shay burst out laughing, earnest and delighted. It was a warm sound that came from deep in her narrow chest while her eyes closed and crinkled at the edges. She flashed that familiar cheeky smile and winked at them all, it wasn't hard to see the same woman who had downed a full-grown boar earlier that day. Something else twisted in his chest when she did all that in the blink of an eye. Something light and heavy all at once. It twinged from deep within and it left him fumbling. He didn't like not knowing how to handle it right away, right from the get-go.
He's heard her laugh, seen her smile. It was a now-familiar staple to him and his brothers, and yet…
Shay's laughter tapered off and she glanced at her phone. The yelp she made startled him, but she was already twisting on her heel and waving over her shoulder as she made a dash to the front door. Her heels click-clacked as she retreated, every step she took sounding like gunfire.
"I'll be back later, leftovers are in the fridge, snacks in the cabinets! Be nice to each other! Don't break my shit or I'll break you!"
That drew a laugh from him without realizing and eased the tension that had been tightly spooling within him. Whatever unformed, unfamiliar twinges were sparking up ceased altogether at her dismissive, hasty goodbye. The tension broke completely as soon as she was from sight.
Yep.
It didn't matter how dolled up Shay could get, she was still the same cheeky little woman they've come to know. The same woman who would, at the sake of her friend's request, dress up and go out on a date she didn't really want to. The same woman who took in him and his brothers, without fear or batting an eye, without thinking about or regretting the decision.
Even with her gone, he could still smell her perfume, lingering in the air. It was like she was still there next to him, and it unsettled him how he wished she was still there, and how much he didn't want her to go out on that date she wasn't even going to enjoy.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Note: Wishing I could input GIFs because I have a ton I'd slap on right here. Ah, well. Thoughts? Comments? I NEED THEM, LOVELIES. FEED ME!