Work Text:
Golden Hour
-It was just two lovers
Sittin' in the car, listening to Blonde
Fallin' for each other-
To execute step three of his elaborate seven-step plan, rising out of bed and getting on the road before the ass-crack of dawn was a key factor. To aid in a smooth departure, Donnie had already picked out his wardrobe: an ivory, short-sleeved button-down shirt with solid purple cargo pants complimented by a new purple satin bandana and minus his usual tech of goggles and gauntlet. He had cleaned out the hover taxi, which he modified to look like a more conventional vehicle, and even made it a point to go to bed early; though he could barely sleep a wink due to nerves. But here he was, finally in the car with his girl by his side, feeling giddy and lovestruck: his step four.
-Pink and orange skies, feelin' super childish
No Donald Glover
Missed call from my mother
Like, "Where you at tonight?" Got no alibi-
The sun was only a little ways off from breaking over the horizon when her phone dinged with her mother's personalized tune.
5:35 a.m. Mama: And where did you run off to so early? Haha!
"Your mom still keeping tabs on you at this age?" He chuckled, peeking over at her phone.
"Like Raph, Leo, Mikey, AND probably Splints haven't been blowing up your phone since you left the garage?" April snarked without looking up before sending a quick text of "Beach and breakfast date with Dee~" and a yellow heart. She received four alternating yellow and purple hearts along with a smiley emoji, and she gave a thumbs up as a reply before clicking the screen off and dropping it onto her lap.
Both of them heard but ignored his phone's near-constant buzzing from the cupholder. Donnie had placed it face down so as not to risk her seeing the contents of the continuous flow of red, blue, orange, and white chat bubbles.
"Touché." He replied, resting his head on the knuckles of the hand that was propped against the window.
His other hand, which rested on the steering wheel, tapped rhythmically as if pressing the keys of an imaginary piano. He could almost feel the twinkle of high notes mirroring the pitter-pattering of his heart as he snuck sideways glances at his April.
-I was all alone with the love of my life-
With only the two of them in the car, Donnie could look at her unabashedly, with no brothers around to tease him. They knew how in love with her he was.
She looked so calm and at peace. Her curly hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, baby hairs loose around her temples. She had opted for cute, wearing a yellow floral baby-doll sundress and light green sandals that she had discarded on the floorboard when she tucked her feet under her. It was only going to be a short drive, but April was quick to feel comfortable anywhere. It was soothing to see her so relaxed and without provocation. The embodiment of Newton's first law of motion. At this moment, they were both happy to just... be. To exist with each other.
-She's got glitter for skin
My radiant beam in the night-
He thought about the successful execution of step one: their moonlit rooftop dinner two nights ago. Light pollution was low, so the sky was mostly visible. Of course, Mickey's menu was impeccable, and she practically glowed against the soft candlelight as she ate happily, moaning over the unleashed flavors. She had showered him with compliments over his choices and rained kisses upon him. That was supposed to be his step-two directed at her, but he wasn't about to complain. She gushed about his setup and how everything was delicious.
-I don't need no light to see you-
April had held his face so close to hers and, at the end of a particularly passionate kiss, said, "Donnie, I love you soooo much. You make me feel so wanted and loved."
Her teary eyes glittered with the reflections of the street lights and neon signs around them. His own eyes had locked onto hers, but he was willing prey to her loving gaze, almost completely forgetting his train of thought and throwing the rest of his plan off the roof right then.
-Shine~~~~~~-
Her vision was only for him, and Donnie knew he would do anything for her.
-It's your golden hour (oh)~~~-
Whatever and whenever she so wanted.
-You slow down time~~~-
She would have.
-In your golden hour (oh)~~~-
This was all for her.
-We were just two lovers
Feet up on the dash, drivin' nowhere fast
Burnin' through the summer-
He fidgeted in his seat to relieve the poking sensation in his right thigh as he tried to imitate her state of relaxation; breathing in through his nose and exhaling slowly through his mouth in an attempt to ease his anxiety.
But it was taking forever to get there!
It was impossible that he had made a wrong turn. It was a straight shot from the lair.
Of course, things did look different on the ground compared to aerial transit... Why were there so many red lights? They are going to miss the sunrise! *Panicked gasp! * What if there are people with beachballs?!!! Perhaps a bit more speed-
Oh! They were here...
Step 5: COMPLETE~~
-Radio on blast, make the moment last-
There was immediate silence as he parked and turned off the car.
This was about to be it.
They walked on the warm, dry sand of the shore, with him between her and the slow-rolling waves. As they strolled along, hand in hand, he happily listened to her fill him in about work, her colleagues, and her latest assignment while he struggled to control his heart rate.
-She got solar power-
Her energy seemed to build as the sun rose, finally peeking over the horizon. As he counted the seconds to 6:07 a.m., she chattered away and gestured animatedly about how no problems were too big for her and that she was excelling. She was April O'Neil, after all!
-Minutes feel like hours-
The minute he was waiting for was taking its sweet time. His right hand fidgeted as he tried to remember the words to his carefully curated speech before pulling out the small arrow-shaped titanium kinetic box that had been burning a hole in his pocket.
But it was almost time.
-She knew she was the baddest, can you even imagine
Fallin' like I did?-
He needed her confidence. Maybe it would bleed over to him in time.
Just a few more seconds...
-For the love of my life-
Now.
"A-*ahem* April...?" he began hesitantly, clearing his throat and causing her to stop mid-sentence to look up at him questioningly.
He opened his mouth, wanting to recount how their story began on that fateful day, how their friendship strengthened and blossomed into love, to tell her what she meant to him and share specific, meaningful moments. But his breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened. Like an actor paid by whatever entity favored him, the sun landed on her in a moment that all photographers lived for.
-She's got glow on her face
A glorious look in her eyes
My angel of light-
The sunrise's merging yellow-to-orange hue illuminated her ebony skin into gold; the rays hit her honey-brown eyes, almost turning them hazel as she blinked up at him, and he found himself bluescreening, staring, and wordlessly just handing her the box. He already had her where, when, and how he wanted her. Words be damned.
-I was all alone with the love of my life
She's got glitter for skin
My radiant beam in the night-
April looked at the box quizzically before her eyes widened in assumed realization.
"Dee, what's-?" April pointed to the box with building excitement before looking up at him. "...this?"
Donnie's eyes softened as he lopsidedly grinned, shrugging as if it was no big deal, a hypocritical gesture considering his stomach and heart's epic battle. He was either going to vomit or suffer cardiac arrest. Quite possibly both.
April cautiously took the box from his hand. The box itself was so beautiful and intricate, like a metal puzzle. In her peripheral, she could see him shaking his hands out by his sides and trying not to bounce.
"Now, before I open this," April said with mirthful caution, motioning to the box, "Is it 'Donnie Dazzled' in some way?"
Donnie chuckled and shook his head before looking at the box and giving her an eager upward nod, urging her to open it (before he passed out). It had already taken longer than he would have liked to make it, but it needed to be perfect. Now that it was finally in her hands, he couldn't wait for her reaction.
April had to figure it out first, holding it up in the light and examining it with the tips of her fingers. Coming to a solution, she set it in her left hand before pushing the edges towards where the corners connected, causing the sides to slide against each other.
-I don't need no light to see you-
The box opened with a soft click, and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for a secondary reaction. When there was none, she cracked one eye open and then the other to look inside. And there, nestled on a soft tiny pillow of cotton, was the prettiest ring she had ever seen.
An interlocked Toi et Moi-styled gold ring with two 3-carat lab-grown purple and yellow pear-cut diamonds encrusted with ametrine crystals along the bands sat twinkling back at her. The wing and point edges of the diamonds faced inward to each other, making a loose figure-eight formation, a figure with no end.
April's eyes bugged as she gasped in disbelief and clutched her chest. From the diamonds to the box, this had ‘Donnie’ written all over it. It must have taken him months to design, create, and culture! Now she understood his jumpiness whenever she walked up behind him or how he barred her from being in his lab when he wasn’t there. He tried hard to keep his hard work a secret. It was so beautiful, and all it did was-
~Shine~~~~~~
"April," he called out, his voice soft but purposeful. He gently touched her hand with his fingers.
“Will you marry me?"
-It's your golden hour (oh~~~~)-
Her eyes snapped back up to his, but he had vanished from her previous viewpoint, causing her gaze to wander downwards to where she found him down on a bent knee. His back was ramrod straight, eyes serious and focused on her surprised face. Here was the man she loved with her whole being and who loved her timelessly, asking her to be his wife. All the years of growth they had flashed before her eyes, and she couldn’t see herself anywhere else, with anyone else but him.
She felt an electric tingle as his misty, deep brown eyes twinkled, and his smile was ever so gentle and vulnerable. But was she seeing a faint glimmer of... doubt?
Did he still fathom that she would reject him?!
Oh, she had to get this straight right now!
"Donnie~~~!!!" April shouted suddenly, startling him.
She secured the ring in its box and held it with her pointer and thumb before leaning down, smushing his face between her hands, and yanking him up by it to look him dead in his widened eyes. They were practically nose to nose.
"OF COURSE I'll marry you!!!" She yelled.
Her eyes were wild as she grinned, ensuring that her words and expression left no room for misunderstanding. This man would finally know that he was hers, forever. Donnie's large eyes shimmered, and April could swear she saw stars in them.
Those same eyes fluttered closed as she stamped his face with kisses, and he responded, weaving his head into each direction they landed and pressing into each one as if to catch them firmly when they landed. He reveled in them with loud, appreciative churrs that drowned out the waves. Despite the public space, he couldn't have cared less about being seen, even if more people were around.
She placed her last kiss on his lips, sensually molding hers into them. Once she felt he was thoroughly convinced, she pulled back, her breath releasing rhythmically in soft pants. With a slow, firm voice said, "I would be honored to be your wife."
Donnie’s eyes opened as his panting slowed. April could see the realization hit, causing his lips to form into a grin that threatened to split his face in half, pushing his cheeks harder against her palms. A breathy, watery chuckle escaped him as his left hand covered the hand on his cheek while his right slid to her face, stroking away her flowing tears with his thumb.
"You are stuck with me~" April giggled, "Now hurry up and put this gorgeous ring on me!!"
And without hesitation, he did so, with the last of his uncertainty washing away with the outgoing tide.
Taking the box from her, Donnie opened it as he stood back up and removed the ring with careful precision and concentration. It was so tiny in his large fingers. Gently bringing her left hand up, April bounced in barely contained excitement as it slid perfectly onto her ring finger—the perfect symbol of their unity. Wiggling her fingers caused it to sparkle and glitter from its place on her hand, a radiant gleam in the light.
Donnie straightened his body to his full height and tilted his face up to the sky, letting the soothing, salty breeze flow around him. He released a breath of relief that he had been holding for far longer than he realized. Shoulders relaxing, he turned his head back down to face her, the rising sun backlighting him in a golden light.
Plastered on her face was a wide smile she felt would never leave, which caused her eyes to scrunch together and tears to flood her vision. The droplets that clung to her lashes refracted the sun's soft light, haloing him in rippling fractals of radiance and turning him into the guardian angel that would forever protect her heart.
-You slow down time-
Moving behind her to face them towards the horizon, Donnie wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. April pressed her arm against one of his, reaching up behind her head to caress his head with the other. His happy trills tickled her back, and he leaned down and extended his neck to rest his head on her.
Soon, it would get busy with other visitors also wanting to enjoy the sunrise, but they could spare a few more minutes to bask in their newly engaged glow before they headed off for breakfast. He was relieved that his phone had finally gone silent, but he knew his brothers and father were terrible at being patient. It was only a matter of time before they took matters into their own hands if he kept ignoring them.
But, for now, Donnie just wanted to exist in this space and time with her.
Just them~
-In your golden hour (oh~~~~)-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the low rooftop of a beachside cafe, three brothers (minus their father, who had the good sense and decency to wait at home) crouched low and took in the romantic scene of a couple's embrace silhouetted by the rising sun. It wasn't that Splinter hadn't wanted to join them, but his rational fear of his purple-clad son and what would happen if they were to get caught won out against his curiosity. Not that they could blame him; Donnie leaving his tech at home was the only reason they felt it was safe enough to follow.
Leo beamed at his phone screen, satisfied with his shots and grateful that Donnie had modified the zoom on his camera. He leaned back and looked at Raph and Mikey as they leaned close, commending his skill.
"Well, boys," Raph chuckled, clasping his large arm around them. His eyes were already red-rimmed and teary. “It looks like we officially got ourselves a sista~!"
While April was figuratively adopted into their family by association and literally in spirit, this felt so much more real.
Raph was the first to head off the roof and jump into the alley below, feeling that he had intruded enough on a private moment, even at a distance.
Mikey cheesed at Leo and bounced up on his toes from his crouched position to follow after Raph, already excitedly planning the engagement party dinner.
Leo stood for a moment and watched them leave. Turning back to the shore, he smiled softly as he watched his twin and almost "official" sister-in-law-to-be slowly walk back to the parking lot as more people arrived. He looked back down at his phone and scrolled to the photo of Donnie on one knee, looking up into April's surprised face as she held the box and looked down at him.
Letting out a contented sigh, Leo put his phone away. Folding his arms behind his head, he leisurely followed after Raph and Mikey, flipping off the roof into the alley and using his katana to open a portal for home. He decided it would be best to print and frame that moment for them and leave it on Donnie's desk in a few months. Or, maybe, after the wedding...
For now, though, they needed to decide and practice what level of surprise they would enact when Donnie arrived back at the lair to tell them the news~
~ Fin ~