No Difference

Donatello stared into the beaker in his hands, into the green liquid. After so much time and hard work he'd finally made the mutagen he wanted and now he couldn't bring himself to use it. After all this time wishing he was different, or not different rather, he now found he liked being the way he was.

He turned to a picture of April, a reminder of why he'd wanted this in the first place. But what if it made no difference? Scenarios and calculations ran through his head but there was only one way to know.

Setting down the beaker he gulped and reached for his phone.

His three fingers drummed against his desk as he stared at his door. When April finally walked through it his heart lurched, half from the feeling he always got when he saw her and half from fear.

"Hey," she smiled but looked a little worried. "What couldn't you tell me over the phone?"

"Uh..." his throat tightened. He went to the door and peeked out, making sure his brothers weren't nearby before closing it.

Behind him she raised a brow. "Is something wrong?"

His head drooped. "April, I..." going to his desk he looked down at the beaker, "I made this for you."

"What is it?" she came closer, the desk between them.

"It's a type of mutagen I synthesized."

She looked at it confused.

"It'll make me human."

Eyes widening her head jerked up to face him.

He felt her gaze but kept his on the beaker, too afraid to see what she thought. "I love you," his chest tightened till it hurt, "but I know you don't want to be with a mutant, that is... if you'd ever want to be with me at all. So I'll make myself human but only if you want me to."

She gaped sadly. "Donnie..." she rounded the desk to stand beside him. Her hand hovered over his arm, afraid to touch him, he looked so fragile. "I would never ask you to do that."

He risked looking at her but couldn't tell what her words or her sad face meant for him.

"Is that what you really want? To be human?"

He glanced down. "No..."

"Anyone who can't love you the way you are isn't worth changing for." She smiled but it faltered, looking nervous. "And..." her gaze fell to the floor, her hands folding behind her back, "that couldn't make me love you more than I already do."

He slouched forward, deflating. "I was afraid of that."

As she looked back up she smirked. "For a genius you miss the point sometimes."

His head shot up, he turned to fully face her. "Are you saying-" he froze, not such he could believe it, "you already love me?"

The smirk turned to a genuine smile before she dove forward, throwing her arms around him.

He was stunned at first but smiled back, wrapping his arms around her.

She closed her eyes as she rested her cheek against his chest. "Human or turtle, it makes no difference to me."