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April locked her phone and stared at the disappointment evident in her own features. Her knitted brows and lips pinched on one side. Eyes reflecting dejection and the sparkling lights strung around her living room.
She pulled a soft blanket around herself and clicked play on the DVD player that would have been too old to interface with her television if not for her friend’s seemingly boundless technical prowess. The nostalgic melodies of Vince Guaraldi resonated from the speakers and April was instantly flooded with memories.
When she was younger her family used to gather every year on Christmas in the living room to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. The O’Neil’s didn’t have many traditions so despite how average the prospect of watching a half hour cartoon with hot chocolate and eggnog was for most people, it was something April had always looked forward to and cherished.
But that was the past. Before her family fell on hard times and her mother had to start working overtime every week. Before April had to get her first job at 14. And before her father was gone.
This year was the year they were finally going to bring back their old celebration. Her mother had made sure to get this day off of work. April stared at the Christmas tree with two little boxes underneath. One for her and one for her mother. But they would have to wait until boxing day. Again.
It was ridiculous, she knew, to be so upset about this. But she couldn’t help the tears welling up. Just as they were about to fall she heard a scraping from above. Metal against stone. Someone is in her chimney. For fucks sake.
As if this day couldn’t get any worse! Just figures there’d be some lunatic sneaking down chimneys on Christmas Eve. Probably trying to do some kinda Grinch routine and steal expensive presents. Newsflash asshole! The O’Neil’s are broke too!
April wasted no time in springing up from the couch and grabbing her metal bat.
In a flash she was on the other side of the room next to the fireplace her bat raised and poised to swing at whoever was about to emerge from the chimney. The intruder landed with a loud, almost cracking, thud into the granite hearth.
As the figure gracefully emerged in a soot covered red coat she stopped herself just in time to keep from concussing her best friend.
“Donnie?! What the hell, man I almost knocked you out!”
“What?” He asked with a complete unapologetic grin. “You know I love to make an entrance.”
“Right.” April said. “Green, mean, and coming down my chimney. You must be the Grinch.” She said with a scowl despite the urge to keep him there rising in her gut.
“Scoff! How dare you paint my Christmas cheer as so grossly insufficient. I only steal every OTHER day of the year!”
April hugged him.
“Whoa, alright.” He returned the hug, in his own Donnie way. “Sorry to your mom, by the way.” He raised his voice a bit. “Sorry about your chimney, Mother O’Neil!”
“We got time to clean it, she’s not here.” April turned around while crossing her arms.
“Oh. She had to go to work.?”
“Yeah.”
Donnie’s battle shell made a sound as he reached into his pocket to dig a little package from it. “Hey, I know it’s not the same, but my family got you a gift.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet of y’all.” She unwrapped it and unfolded the fabric. It was a yellow strip, with the Hamato clan sigil in the middle of it. It almost looked like a…
“Donnie, is this a headband? For me?”
“A member of the Hamato clan deserves nothing less!”
“Oh my God, Donnie, this is so nice!” She felt herself tear up. “Gonna make me cry, I tried not to cry earlier.”
“April…”
“It’s alright, I’m used to it.” April sniffled.
“That’s… Not better at all.”
“Guess you’re right.” She said.
Donnie hovered his hand near April. He cleared his throat and spoke up. “Hey, so, I have another gift for you. And before you don’t accept it or something, this one’s just from me, and it’s fine, I want you to have it.”
“Pfff, come on Don, I didn’t even see it yet.” April teased.
“That being said, I am very proud of it, and it’s about time you have one.” Once again the battle shell appendage rummaged through the red coat’s pocket and pulled a slightly bigger wrapped gift. “Ta-dah!”
April wasted no time to unwrap it. Accepting gifts without anything to give back usually stung, but a personal gift from Donnie? It was guaranteed to be special and made with love. She pulled the sleek gadget out of the box.
“Don, is this what I think it is?” April asked.
“Maybe? Can ya guess what it is.” Donnie flashed a cocky smile.
April squealed in sheer glee. “The newest model G95?!”
“Not only that! A personalised G95! All the complaints you’ve ever had with these gadgets lovingly gouged out and crushed to pieces by my custom software. You basically have my tech bracer!”
April kissed Donnie on the cheek. “Thank you so much!”
Donnie smiled. “Comes with guaranteed update patches or no money back. Because it was free.”
“Holy… What can I ever do to repay you?”
“April, come on, they’re gifts, you don’t have to.”
“Well, how about I give a gift back?” She softly held his hand.
“I mean… If you insist, you could come back to the lair in about an hour? Splinter’s usually asleep after the afternoon present opening, but I got an old Jupiter Jim arcade game working again but SHOOSH do not tell my brothers, that’s it, that’s your gift to me, I’ve decided.”
April laughed. “I guess I don’t have a choice to grace you with my presence then.”
“Mandatory-- Ahhh, unless your mom would object?”
“Oh, nah, if anything she’ll be way happier that I’m at least having fun.” April said, a touch of melancholy on her smile, remembering how her mother would, without fail, always apologise for working late. “Wait, why in one hour?”
“Raph said so. He’s probably planning something himself while I went out to give you your present.” He held her hand and softly kissed it. “Mind if I keep you company in the meantime?”
“Absolutely not, Mister Santa Claus…” April giggled. “Seriously committed to the whole Santa bit, huh?”
“I was just trying to get some Christmas cheer into this noble domicile!”
“Hey, can’t argue with the results.” She laid her head on his shoulder as they both got comfortable on the couch. She looked outside, as big fluffy snowflakes danced in the crisp winter night air.
She chuckled. “Hey Donnie, you ever seen the Charlie Brown Christmas special?”