Owner	Pose
April O'Neil	April had just arrived home from her work in Manhattan, and hung her bike up in the stairwell. Now she was headed up the stairs with her phone out in one hand and the other gliding up the staircase railing. She ascends to the front door and twists the knob, as it's not locked since it's inside of a stairwell that she just unlocked. She glances up as she steps into her apartment and then slings her backpack over on to a coat hangar where it sways back and forth. Her bike helmet is taken off then and set on top of the backpack and her phone is slipped into her front pocket. With a heavy huff of a sigh, the girl in her early 20s moves toward the kitchen to the left of the front door. The fridge door is popped open and she starts rummaging around inside of it for a cool drink!
Donatello	Once April finds a drink and closes the fridge, Donatello is revealed -- standing there in the space that the refrigerator door previously covered. This kind of entrance might be more of Leo's style, but Donnie IS still a ninja and it comes easily.     "Hi, April," he greets, doing his best impression of his own voice, so as not to startle her more than his entrance would normally.
April O'Neil	It's been almost a year since April met the Turtles, and in that time, the number of times they've 'appeared' out of no where on her like that has been... more than any of them can count on their hands, even her with her extra fingers. April still /jumps/ though when he does it, just appearing like that. There's no lights on in the apartment yet, it's all just the sunlight filtering in through the windows still. "Donnie!" She says in a gasp, holding a bottle of sparkling water peach ice now that she clutches up against herself. "God, you guys..." "Is something wrong?" She now asks, switching to concerned-April-mode, and the look on her face shows it.
Donatello	Donatello gasps, himself, startled at startling April. After the initial shock they both experience -- which is a little strange since Donatello probably should have known it was going to happen -- he waves his hands in the air. "No, no, no," he explains. "Nothing's wrong. I just...I didn't know who else to come to."     The turtle reaches out and takes two of the magnets off of the refrigerator door and begins to move them towards each other, briefly enjoying the feeling of them pushing back at each other. He's uncomfortable -- or at least embarrassed -- about something. And really...wouldn't it be great if he just got to the point?     "I thought that it might just be better for me to tell you this myself since you might just hear about it anyway," Donnie begins, looking at the magnets. "I've met someone."     As absurd as it might be to have a teenage, mutant turtle -- who happens to be a ninja -- befriend you and even sneak into your kitchen from time to time, nothing quite prepares someone for when that turtle believes that he needs to come clean about meeting someone else.
April O'Neil	April lowers the bottle down to her waist then and raises her hand up to twist the cap off. "Oh, well ... good, god... you guys need to 'appear' in front of the front door, and knock!" She's told them all similar things about a hundred times, but they don't do it. to be fair though, she realizes it's probably great practice for them... at her expense! Her blue eyes go to the fridge as the Turtle's hands move to adjust the magnets on it. She watches what he's doing and her eyebrows start to raise up whislt she listens, then her stare goes back over to the purple-clad Turtle's own. "I thought you already met someone?" She asks him. "You, mean, like a date, right? You said you'd gone on one already? When do I get to meet her?" She grins then and raises her drink up for a sip.
Donatello	Donatello holds his gaze for just a second before his brow furrows a bit. Not the reaction to his joke that he was expecting. April saw right through it! The turtle takes a deep intake of air and lets it out before looking around the kitchen -- anything he can do to avoid eye contact.     "No, no, not yet. I said we had met up, but...I mean, I really like her! I don't think I've ever liked someone like that. I have some vague early memories of a grasshopper, I think, but that was...before," he explains.     Donatello's voice becomes a little more hurried. "And...I finally got the courage to ask her on a date," he adds. "I...I don't know how I did it, but it just happened suddenly. And I don't have anyone I can talk to about it. Not my brothers, no way, not my father...She's..."     "She was in the Foot."
April O'Neil	April's heart visibly melts, in the form of her head tilting to the left and an expression of endearment crossing her features. "Awww... that's so adorable." She says, in that very girl-y way that might make Donnie change his mind about sharing all of this! But before he can recoil and retreat, should he wish to, she puts her hand out on his shoulder. "You can talk to me about it!" She tells him, reassures him. She motions to the table beside them. "Have a seat, we can share whatever you want to share about this." She moves to pull a chair out for him and then slap the back of it. "Sit sit!" She encourages the big turtle. "Whatever's on your mind this is a safe place, free of the judgment of your macho brothers." As April is lowering down into the chair, she hears the part about the Foot and it makes her slow down, her tone change a bit too. "/Really?/" She asks. "Well now I really see why you don't want to bring it up with them... I assume she's... not anymore?"
Donatello	Donatello's eyes narrow as April reacts so visibly to this. His features relax slightly as April declares this to be a safe zone, free of his brothers.     "Thanks, April," he says, clearly appreciating her support, and he continues that by sliding himself into the offered chair and scooting it forward.     But then she mentions the Foot.     "No! Of course not," he responds suddenly, as if the thought of her being in the Foot at all was so ridiculous. "She's basically the single nicest person in the whole world, if you ask me, so...She's definitely not in the Foot clan anymore." Donatello's voice softens as he explains the next part. "It wasn't up to her. She was...She's like me. The Foot clan made her like me." A mutant animal, that is.     "I just...I've never been on a date before. And...I just want it to be perfect, so I thought maybe I could tell you about my ideas?" he asks, hopefully.     This is not the usual Donatello. This isn't science or machinery or computers. His voice lacks the confidence that it might have if he was discussing those other subjects. It really just sounds like he's utterly lost.
April O'Neil	April settles into her kitchen table chair with her drink in her lap and her eyes on Donnie, she nods at first to what he says about this mystery woman... but as he says more she has a few expressions faintly grace her features before she settles on a glance toward the table where she sets her drink's bottle down upon. "I want to hear the ideas then, for sure." April says. "But Donnie, you really don't have to do anything wildly crazy, except be there with her. That's all relationships are supposed to be about, after all. They're supposed to be about two people,m who care about each other, being together. The 'doing' part is mostly 'whatever'. It could be mini golf, or a ... stroll in the park." She motions to him then. "But yeah, share away." She grins again. "I'm so glad you've found someone you care about like this too!" That last bit is said a little motor-mouthy, which April does sometimes when she's happy.
Donatello	As April describes her opinion on dates and how they're really just about people spending time together, Donatello nods his head a few times, but otherwise lets her go on about that. It's almost like he has his mind set on making it perfect and just wants to get to the part about that.     "Yeah, well, I know what you're saying there. When I'm with her, I feel so..."     Awkward? Nervous? Uncomfortable? Yeah, that's all true but it's not the word he brings to his mouth.     "...normal," he finishes.     Donatello puts an elbow on the table and rests his chin on it. He's not glum looking. It's more like he needs something to support his head, as talking about this might distract him from keeping his head up. It's like he has a new set of feelings he's just unsure how to manage.     "So! I'm thinking, dinner, right, and a movie? I mentioned that and it seemed to be good. So, I...I'm thinking we need to be able to get into the movie. So, I've arranged for a little...hiccup in the theater's timetable. There's going to be two extra minutes of darkness between the previews and the movie.... for us to sneak our way in before it starts."     "We both like pizza...But, she really likes meats, too? So I think I'm going to see if Woody can make up a pizza with as much meat on there as they'll allow!" he explains, his voice getting faster and faster, as if he's going to run out of time.     "And then we'll go to the movie! So, I guess that we'd eat on the roof?" he wonders, suddenly. Donatello is not acting quite like himself. His thoughts are unorganized and disjointed. His mind is ping-ponging from one idea to the next.     "...And I'm pretty sure that she beat up Raphael a while back," Donatello adds, grinning slightly. His brain just pinged and then ponged, again.
April O'Neil	While Donnie explains, April reaches for her drink again and takes another sip before setting it back. Her head leans to the left, then to the right, as she hears his pitch and tone changing. He's definitely behaving in ways she hadn't seen him behave like before in the past year, but... he's young, she was his age not /that/ long ago either. Just a handful of years ago, she remembers how boys act his age all too well. "You've got a pretty good plan figured out then." She admits to him. "Might need some more refining though..." She glances to her right, then motions tot he east. "Are you going to the theater down the road? You could tell me what movie and I could open the back door for you to let you guys in. I'll buy three tickets, but I won't hang around. i'll just walk out and let you two in. That way you can avoid the lobby, if you like! I'll just walk right on by, and not even act like I seen you two." She grins at him. "If it'd help. I'd leave your ticket stubs on the little shelf by the door." It's almost like she's done this before... "It's probably best if you keep her away from Raph for now too, if that's the case." She adds, if this girl has had an altercation with the angry turtle previously! "Do you have any idea if the Foot are still... experimenting? Does she? That's the kind of stuff I try to get out there on my podcast, you know..."
Donatello	Donatello shakes his head. almost smiling a smile that suggests he finds the thought a little ridiculous. "No, that's okay, April," he begins. "I was able to access the structural details, along with the surveillance data of the theater. Due to theater number four's proximity to the alleyway, approximately five percent or so of the humans who see a movie in that one will leave the theater out the back. So...it's theater number four that I have set to add a few extra minutes of darkness for us to slip in."     Of course he did.     "The Foot...I don't know. They've come after her, before..." Donatello explains, his voice trailing off a little. "They want her back, I think. We can't let that happen." That last sentence is said without any of the wistful, wishy-washy tone attached to his earlier descriptions. It's firm.
April O'Neil	A nicely sized grin spreads across April's lips at hearing Donnie's plan for how to get into the theater. "Guess it's not as rough of a plan as I first thought, not that I should be surprised by that..." She quips back at him. "I hadn't done the theater swap trick since I was like... god, fourteen? I was excited for a second." The reporter snickers and shakes her head, dismissing those thoughts. "Okay, well, yes." She continues. "If the Foot is still pursuing her, /that/ part we're going to need your brothers for. If they have a lab, of some kind, out there that they'd be trying to take her too... or whatever their base is, we do need to find that, after all." "But..." She trails off. Her right hand waves all that way. "It can happen later, your date is what matters now. You got it setup pretty good, just make sure to watch out for the cameras up on the roof if you're going up there to eat. Those things are everywhere nowadays..."
Donatello	"She's able to handle herself," Donatello explains, his voice betraying a certain amount of pride. While some teenage boys might feel weird about this next statement, Donnie shares it with excitement. "She's basically the strongest person I know, too. She's way stronger than I am. Even stronger than Raphael, I bet!"     She hasn't done the theater swap trick since she was fourteen. As April makes their age difference more apparent, Donatello's discomfort starts to grow. There's a burning question that must be asked and, as an older person, she's the ideal person to ask. He looks at her in the same way that a child looks to a teenager, or a teenager looks to a young adult -- he looks at her like she has all of the wisdom that he needs at this exact moment.     "So," he begins, quietly. "What do I do?"     The question is vague enough, but the discomfort that clouds his tone suggests that he's referring to the date. And not about the cameras that may or may not be on the roof./
April O'Neil	April is again grinning at the comparison to Raph. "I bet she is." She adds about the mystery girl's strength, then quickly tacks on. "Just don't say those things to Raph, it won't go well." She grins again then, but that fades when Donnie just asks what he should do. This causes the young human woman to tilt her head to her right shoulder, her dark hair dangling a bit over her arm as she does so. "About what?" She asks. "The date?" She straigtens her head up again and dips her chin as her eyebrows loft up. "Schedule it? Friday? Friday movies are the most fun, the most energy in the air. Of course... they're the busiest too... but... yeah, maybe not Friday. But yeah, just, make the arrangements and clear them with her." Another soft grin comes across her visage as she reaches out to pat his arm. "Just dive in to it, Donnie. If it's uncomfortable, or nerce-racking, that's good. Lean into discomfort."
Donatello	Donatello gives April a look. Like, of course he's going to tell Raphael this. As soon as he can and as often as he can! Now that April needs some clarification on his question, Donatello raises his eyebrows and becomes suddenly very uncomfortable again. It's like he's being forced to pull the bandaid off slowly.     "Yeah, I mean, what do I do....about the date?" he asks again, searching for the words. "I mean, I've never been on a date. Have you?" The turtle's face sours. Of course she has!     "Of course you have!" he corrects himself. "What's it like? How do you act? I mean...All of it."
April O'Neil	April leans back in her chair and crosses her legs at the knees, then just drapes her right arm over the back of said chair. "/Many/ dates." She humble brags about it, a grin returning to her visage before she just exhales and shakes her head, she repeats herself. "Many dates..." Only this time she says it more grimly, like it was a bad thing and not a good thing. Her stare goes distant, off toward the window over the kitchen sink, then she looks back to Donnie like she 'came back' from her thoughts. "Oh, uh, you just act like yourself. Like you're hanging out with a friend, because that's all it is right now. Just spending time with someone you enjoy. You don't have to do anything else... in fact, the /worst/ thing you can do on a date, is pretend to be someone else. Be you, that's it."
Donatello	Donatello raises his eyebrows and smiles, impressed, when April declares that she's been on MANY DATES! But then, he follows along with her as the door swings back in the other direction. His features soften, concern splashed across his face. Many dates...     "But...If that's how it is, then...How is a date different from other times?" Donatello looks genuinely confused.
April O'Neil	April's phone buzzes in her pocket and she moves to fish it out, glance at it, and then drop it on the table beside her drink. "Well..." She starts at his follow-up question. "The intention here is that you're looking to advance a date into a romantic place. So you two are the friend stage right now, yeah? The better that you get along with her, the furhter you can show your intentions. Like if the date is going well, after the movie... offer to walk with her and hold her hand. Or tell her how much of a good time you're having, and compliment her. What she's wearing, or mauybe her laugh, if she's been laughing." April grins at that again too. "I wouldn't recommend anything further than that at this point, but maybe on a second date, or something, you could try a kiss." There's a pause then and April points her hand at him. "You two shouldn't be going any further than that though, not at your ages!" She has to reinforce that bit, after all!
Donatello	Donatello winces suddenly and brings his hands up to his eyes, covering them. "Oh jeez," he suddenly exclaims. As April describes how he should do this and that, the turtle appears to be somewhat distressed.     "April, I'm pretty sure I messed up," he explains. "I just...I just told her that I have a crush on her. Told her!" Donatello looks up at April as he confesses to having just laid out all of his cards all at once, in stark contrast to the theme of her advice. "And she...When we saw each other last...She sat next to me and she was here..." he rambles on, but then rests his hand on his shoulder and side, indicating where this mystery girl sat, leaning against him. Despite his distress, the turtle can't help but broadcast just how important that moment was to him.     After he confesses to their path to the date being a little...mixed up, Donatello's eyes widen suddenly at something April mentions. A kiss. There are equal parts horror and fascination shown on his face.
April O'Neil	April adjusts her position so that she's got her right hand on her knee and her left arm is elbow-down on the table beside her, her head leaning into her left hand now which dives into her hair. She smiles, and then laughs lightly. "Maybe I'm thinking a little further back into dating in the 1950s... than I should be." She mutters, then motions toward him again with her right hand. "Clearly the two of you, already have your intentions on your sleeves. It sounds like you're already in hand-holding phase. So... that's, something. Good, really, I mean you don't have to worry about it as much." She can see the 'terror' on his face at the thought of advancing past hand holding, and this gets her to shake her head. "Don't worry about it so much, Donnie. You've played ... RPGs, right? Uh... like... you know how this goes, you just develop your relationship level with her, and you two get closer. But again, not /too/ close, okay? Because, I will be very cross with you---" She cuts herself off then. "What am I saying, you're the trust worthy one. It's not like I'm talking to Mikey here, right? Or ... maybe Raph, I'm not sure which one I would trust less..."
Donatello	Donatello takes a deep breath. "I mean, I think she likes me too?" he decides. "I mean, I flat out just told her, so...she knows, right? And then agreed to go on the date...." The turtle works out the permutations in his mind and it's really the only conclusion to draw.     "If I don't have to worry about it, April, then why do I worry about it?" he wonders. "I mean, I haven't really thought about much since we agreed to go on the date. On one hand, she makes me feel so...comfortable, and normal, but on the other hand...so nervous. I just...Have you ever felt like you were going to throw up...But it's not a bad feeling?"     There's another sigh. The RPG analogy is appreciated, but it doesn't do it for him. "I mean, when I was trying to act like I didn't like her, or something, I just...blurted out that I did! And just suddenly, without thinking about it, asked her if we could go on a date!" he explains, utterly shocked at the behaviors he's describing.     "It's like...as soon as I stop worrying, I just...Do the right thing, suddenly, I think," he adds. "Does that make sense?"
April O'Neil	"You have butterflies in your stomach." April says with a spreading smile at her friend. "You should enjoy these moments, things like this. They're rooted in psoitive emotions, the kind of things we want to experience, right?" She drops her hand from the side of her head and rests it on the table. "Look, Donnie, you've got nothing but good signs here. You told her how you feel, and she's still here, right? She's in to it. You're set! Focus on that, don't worry about the other stuff, you just... laid it all out there, and she's still wanting to go and spend time with you. You've got it made in the shade." April tries to offer words of encouragement for him. "So just schedule the time, the places, get your meaty pizzas and then get your movie on. Then maybe walk her home and yeah, have fun, be yourself. That's that, that's dating.. In a nut shell. At least a good date, anyway."
Donatello	Donatello nods his head. "Okay, okay," he agrees. "I'll try my best." Still, his words lack the confidence they might have if this was a different conversation topic. "Thanks, April," he adds, with a meager smile. With that, he stands up from the chair and takes a deep breath.     "I better go," he admits. "I'm trying to make a laser-powered pencil sharpener and I've got to find a lens to focus the beams." Donatello walks towards the kitchen window and steps into its frame.     "Thanks again."     And then...he's not there.