Out of My Shell

Chapter 17: Dirty Mind Games

Chapter 17: Dirty Mind Games

Their popcorn was ready in no time at all April and Donnie were making their way back with a large bowl in hand.
"Here we are!" April smiled. "One giant bowl of......... popcorn." She paused and looked around, puzzled by the now empty couch. "...Where's Raph?"
"....Good question. Who cares," he dismissed coldly and he readily took his place on the couch without so much as a second thought.
April hesitated, looking down into the bowl. "...I feel kinda bad eating without him."
"If he misses it, that's his own problem. It's best to let him alone when he gets like this."
She thought that over. "...I suppose." She sat down beside him. "...I just hope he feels better..."
"I'm back!" Raph's voice suddenly interrupted their conversation from the hall.
Donnie looked up irritably to regard him... and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"Uhh, welcome back," April smiled awkwardly.
Raphael pushed slowly off the door frame, half smile and crooked swagger and Donatello let out an unintelligible sound.
They stood proud on his skin, his nose, his face; swollen droplets stretching and meeting to streams that rushed down his broad chest. Raphael pushed the towel slowly along his jaw, down his neck, to his biceps and it only made the light gleam on him more. Donnie's eyes flickered as the rivers met and trailed to his knees until they fell to puddles that trailed behind on the floor.
...What was he doing? Was this necessary? WHY WAS HE WET?!
Donnie blinked and cleared his throat, his face involuntarily growing warm, embarrassed by his own staring. He wasn't sure what Raph's angle was for doing this, but he had half a mind to shield April's eyes from this indecency.
Or... wait... was this decent?
"Diiiiiid you just take a shower or something?" April wondered, confused.
"Yeah... somethin' like that," Raph's eyes burned such a vibrant green, pushing the towel again slow over his arms. "I think I just needed to cool my head. I've been so tense lately.... I think we all have~" he sat down, "huh, Don?"
Donnie didn't reply, glaring evenly, trying to hide just how oddly flustered he felt.
Raph reached across his body and grabbed a small handful of popcorn and tossed it into his mouth, tall and haughty that he had won.
The smell of the water and his skin churned his mind. It curled at his toes, knocked his knees and made his insides tight.
Raph smirked at his reaction, flicking a popcorn kernel victoriously off his face.
Donnie's eyes changed to a glare and suddenly a growl ripped from his throat. He jumped to his feet and stormed off towards the kitchen.
"Uhhhh, we need butter!" Raph shoved the bowl distractedly into April's stomach and immediately got up to follow, leaving her to glance back, wondering what in the world was going on.
In the kitchen Donnie blinked rapidly, trying to catch his breath. Something was wrong. Weird wrong. He didn't feel right. And then that smell found him again and he shut his eyes, trying to ignore its presence.
....What was wrong with him?
"What'ssamatter Donnie? Gettin' tense?"
Donnie lifted his eyes coolly and opened the freezer, greeted by a chilly 'Meow' of Ice Cream Kitty, who kindly obliged two giant sized popsicles into his hand and he slammed it shut, stalking his way once more to the couch.
If Raph wanted to play mind games, oh, he'd give him mind games! He had no idea who he was messing with!
"Here you go April~" Donnie offered her one. "I suddenly got in the mood for a popsicle, you want one?"
"Uhhh, sure," April took one tentatively. "...I guess." She wasn't so sure she should really be around in the middle of their strange feud. The whole atmosphere was just weird, but still she undid the wrapper, finding a bright lime and attempted to make normal conversation. "What one did you get? Mine's green."
"....Mine's red," he uttered darkly.
She wondered how he knew that when he hadn't even opened it yet, but his focus seemed lost on the screen and so she settled and began to watch as well.
His eyes only flickered once when Raphael returned, sitting a distance away, his body language particularly loud. But Donatello did not regard him further, letting the TV completely usurp his attention.
Raph bristled a little at being ignored and he leaned over to reach the popcorn again, though this time Donnie remained firmly un-phased, even when his face was but inches away.
"Uh, Raph, you're kind of blocking the screen," April informed, craning her neck to see around him.
Raphael's eyes narrowed, but unable to entice a single reaction, reluctantly sat back.
Donnie then scooted just a little closer to April, as far as he could allow without disturbing her space. And Raph fumed further.
It was then that April felt a weird sticky wetness dripping on her hand and she leapt back a bit. "Ah! Donnie! Your popsicle...!"
Donnie looked down, watching the red sugar dribble lazily past his wrists. "Oh, drat! ...I must have forgotten I had it!"
He undid the wrapper, turned over his arm and began a slow, suggestive draw up his wrist, catching the sweetness on his tongue. And he acted like he savored it, catching his brother's eyes, making sure he watched....
Raph didn't even blink. It took him a moment to realize he was staring much too hard and he turned away, coughing awkwardly, his face red and his mind going a thousand miles an hour.
He couldn't believe Donnie would outdo him like that! That was blatantly provocative! This was... teasing! Deliberate, sexual...
This was messed up! His heart was still tripping in his shell. He didn't dare look!
Or at least he tried, but his eyes couldn't help betraying a small peek.
And Donnie behaved as though it never happened, watching the TV in phased innocence, loftily enjoying his treat.
Raph gaped and then his eyes narrowed. That little...!
His temper stirred fitfully and in the washed TV glow that popsicle suddenly pointedly paused, like the breath before a phrase.
Raph turned away and puffed out his chest, determined now more than ever not to care.
But that cherry red mocked his peripheral. And the pause ended.
He watched it move and enclose in his lips, how the cold, sweet fluid melted and mingled on his tongue, pushing slowly to the back of his throat. Just a little bit more. A little farther... a little bit deeper. Even when Raph thought it would stop, it just kept disappearing with such a simple ease of grace until the red was completely engulfed in his mouth.
And then just like that, he eased the stick free. Completely clean. And swallowed.
Raphael gaped, numb, slack jawed at the display and Donnie looked over. It seemed fairly obvious that his brother's brain had short circuited and fried. And that he had won.
Donatello tilted his head and flicked the stick so it ricocheted hard off his face.
Game. Set. Match.
That broke his spell. Raph blinked and glared, his temperature instantly flushing to something feverish.
But Donatello's mental victory was short lived, for while Raph's complexion was quickly rivaling his mask, Donnie himself was turning a shade of blue.
Eating that popsicle that fast had had consequences. Suddenly he shot up rigid in his seat, his eyes bulged.
"U-U-U-U-YAGHHHHHHH!!!!" He yelped, grabbing the searing cold pain in his skull. "B-B-B-BRAIN FREEZE!! I'VE GOT BRAIN FREEZE!!"
"Donnie!" April's eyes widened. "What did you do?!"
He chattered, full-body shivered and writhed. And Raph snickered a little at his expense.
Served him right.
Donnie glared, his knees knocking. "Um... I th-th-thth-think I ate my p-p-p-p-popsicle too fast."
"You already finished it?!" April asked in surprise, looking at hers in amazement. "Donnie! These are jumbo sized! You have to take it easy!"
Raph laughed even louder. And Donnie looked away indignant and embarrassed, his breath coming out in chilly puffs.
Alright, swallowing a popsicle whole probably wasn't exactly his crowning achievement of bright ideas.
Even it was to spite Raph..... Who would not stop laughing!
His patience snapped. "I W-W-W-WILL TEAR YOU OUT OF YOUR SHELL!"
"I... I'd like to see you try!" Raph guffawed. "What are ya gonna do? Turn tricks there too?!"
"Turn tricks?" April wondered confused but the thought fell away as she looked up and saw her father come into the room. "DAD!" She jumped up readily and ran to meet him, leaping warmly into his arms.
"Hey kiddo!" He squeezed her tight.
Donnie got up to greet him as well, though not before hitting Raph hard upside his head and shoving him violently into the couch. "Hi Mr. O'Neil!" he smiled feign-warmly and went over to greet him.
"Donatello. Thank you letting April stay here while I was away."
"N-N-No problem. Really. We're glad to see you guys are safe," he said, still shivering slightly from the cold.
And Raph glared over the side of the couch, rubbing the lingering smart in his arm.
Mr. O'Neil studied him curiously. "Are you cold?"
"It's nothing," he insisted and Mr. O'Neil's thoughts turned instantly to the situation of their own home.
"...I was wondering: you've been there right? ...Have you found anything yet? Any clues?"
"N-N-Not yet," he replied, still trying to warm himself a little, "but I can assure you... I'll do whatever I can to make sure you guys are safe."
"Thank you," he smiled. "April and I will be staying at another relative's for the next few nights... at least until we feel a little better about the situation."
"I'll keep you updated," he assured.
"See ya," April waved.
Donnie waved in return and lingered back to make sure they were completely gone and out of ear shot before he suddenly let out a kiai, lunging over the couch and on top of Raph, sending them both tumbling to the floor.
"Hwahh!" Raph yelped, struggling under his anger-driven strength.
"TURN TRICKS?!?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
"ME?!" Raph glared, kicked him hard and rolled out. He lowered his voice. "You were the one who started showin' that popsicle a good time! I just figured ya wanted to showcase your talent a little. Ya seem good at it. We oughta put you outside in the alley."
Donnie blushed and dove again, determined to smother him into the floor. "And you coming in half naked and soaking wet was somehow ANY MORE CLASSY?!"
Raph dodged, grappling for a headlock, but Donnie violently wrenched out and strikes were thrown.
"Hey, got your attention didn't it?" Raph locked his attack hard and lowered his voice to his face. "You were pretty much foamin' at the mouth."
"Nnghh... You're delusional."
"And you're hot for me."
Donnie blushed without a ready witty response, shoved him back and readily rekindled fight, turning the living room into a violent mess of punching, ducking, kicking and grappling. Raph's strength was fierce, but Donnie was quicker on his feet this time around, shoving him off his balance and he hissed in his face: "...While I'm sure your incest fantasies are inspired in some universe, I'm afraid I'm going to have to take a rain check."
Raph pushed back and their brawl continued, jumping and tripping over the couch. They let their fists do the talking.
Donnie was a liar! It was even in the way he fought. Their kicks got serious, desperate, made to bruise... Everything was wrong. It was all sloppy and angry and confused... blurring who was fighting who...
Leo heard the muffled sounds of fighting and came into the room, as the exchange grew tired, but still they tried to fight and he leapt between them to rip them apart.
"Guys! KNOCK IT OFF!" He stared between them exasperated. "Will you quit fighting for two seconds?!?"
Donnie shoved violently out. "...I have things to do," he spat and turned on his heel. "I've got to reload the Shellraiser."
"GREAT!" He plodded off. "I'll be wherever he isn't!"
Leo grabbed Raph firmly by his shell. "Uh, no." He spun him around and pushed him back towards Donnie. "You two will both be working on the Shellraiser together."
"WHAT?!"
"NO WAY!"
"You can't!" Donnie looked appalled. "We literately just tried to kill each other!!"
"Which is precisely why you two need to resolve this."
Donnie stepped forward, trying to appeal to his sense of reason. "Leo, with all due respect, don't you think a better solution would then be for us to get away from each other?"
"I tried that. It didn't work," he folded his arms angrily. "So now we're doing it my way."
"I'm not working with him!"
"Like I'd want to!"
"ENOUGH!" Leo barked. "Either you two work it out loading the Shellraiser or you can spend the next three hours with me and Sensei working your teamwork, tekki stances and grappling!"
Raph and Donnie quietly looked at one another.
-
The Shellraiser door rattled open and Leo roughly pushed them inside, glaring after them. "You're brothers. Start acting like it." And with that, he slammed it shut.
"..." They both stared at the door just a moment longer, listening to his footfall leave the garage. But his words hadn't.
"...Shall we go?"
Raph followed him in silence, wordlessly watching as Donnie found his tool box and began rifling through for his needed tools and welding equipment. "I already compressed plenty of garbage to load into the cannon. They should be on the rack right outside the door on the fourth shelf."
"...Aren't we gonna talk about this?"
"Not until the urge to stab you with this screwdriver passes, we're not. Now go grab the balls."
Raph stared in mute silence and Donnie gave him a stern look. "Now, please?"
"...Fine."
Raph jumped out of the Shellraiser to the metal rack outside, holding a wide range of other garage tools that Donnie kept. He found the rack with ease, only struggling slightly with the weight.
"I'll need it in the back!" he called.
"Where else would I bring it?!"
"...I'll need one load inside... two would be optimal." Donnie's eyes scanned in thought, looking over what he needed done and opened the ceiling hatch to let in a little extra needed light. And after making a few more mental notes and harnessing his tool belt, he went to go find his soldering iron. "By the way the inner workings of the platform are still slightly damaged, so I recommend you uh... be careful with the shaft." He set focused to his work. "I'll fix it in a minute."
Raph heaved the rack with brute strength and hauled up onto the roof, carefully grounding himself as Donnie returned to the inside of the bus.
"Turn it on!" Raph called.
Donnie paused, swearing he'd heard something else. "W-What?"
"The... thing... turn it on."
"...OH RIGHT!" He quickly located the remote and pushed the button. The garbage cannon unfolded from the hood and he quietly watched Raph from beneath the hatch as he lifted the first ball of garbage up to the barrel eclipsing the room's florescent light.
"Ya know, I could use some help up here. Plus, if you're gonna sodder those ends, you might wanna do it now before I jam this thing in."
Donnie scoffed. "I thought I told you to be easy with it!" He leapt up, trying to balance his weight between Mikey's seat and his own to shimmy up through.
"Yeah well, bein' gentle and easy ain't exactly my specialty."
Donnie wanted to crack that he had other work he could be doing but as he was nearly onto the roof... he lost his footing, leg scraping metal and he began fall back down into the hatch. "WOAH!"
Raph dove, dropping the garbage carelessly to the roof, grabbing his arm, just barely as he hit. "I'VE GOTCHYA."
But it wasn't enough. He only delayed the fall before gravity caught up and cruelly dragged them both down, crashing into the corner of Donnie's work station, with all of Donnie's tools scattering from his belt and across the floor.
"Ulghh... ack!" Donnie gasped, crushed beneath Raphael's weight, knocking the wind right out of him.
Raph shook the hollow pain in his head and pushed himself up. "You a'right?"
"Nng." His head hurt too. "I think so... I..."
He started to sit up but they both stopped, realizing their noses were inches apart.
Donnie blushed and lowered his eyes. "...Uh."
Raph cleared his throat and stood up quickly, helping Donnie to his feet. But among the scattered tools, a screwdriver stopped his step and Donnie slipped, falling hard into his work station... and unfortunately again, taking Raphael with him.
"UGH!" Donnie cursed in frustration. "WHY DO I KEEP--?!" His voice caught in his throat. Raphael's fall had been less graceful, this time catching in the crook of his shoulder and half in between his legs.
"UH...!"
"Sorry..."
"I..." Donnie lost his voice. "Um..." He tried to back out but they moved together. Raphael's breath was warm on his collar, his scent consuming his space.
He shuddered deeply despite himself. That strange feeling was coming over him again. He was so close. And when he tried to move, he felt their plastrons glide and his breath hitched, his thoughts melding somewhere between pushing him away and that friction. He moved to push him away there was no weight to his touch.
Raph paused. Mixed signals crossed his mind as he felt his fingers idly trace along the edge of his scar and Raph's thoughts began to muddle.
All he could feel was his small, steady breathing. Nervous... tall, like royalty. And it was so warm. He was finally alone with him... with his knees at his shell...
He wanted to close that distance so much. "...Don...?"
He blinked up oddly up at his voice and it caught his nerves. "I-I..." His elbows shook and buckled, clumsily pushing farther into his work station and grinding their shells once more.
Raphael blinked; trying to will some blood to his head, but it wasn't working. Those normally grounded ocher eyes were oddly hazed, fixed in his collar bone and how it looked in the dim light.
He smelled... Safe... Strong...
He leaned in close so their noses brushed. Donnie peeked up at the presence. But something in his conscience still forbade the kiss. It was just too real, too permanent.
And yet, he still wanted to drown in it.
Perhaps part of him already was. His breath washed over his throat, bringing an excited shiver to his knees, pushing off his keyboard and switches like they didn't exist and it only urged Raph closer.
Something gnawed at Raphael's senses in a way he had never felt. There were no words for it... except it was all alluring and just undeniably Donatello... sparking things only the darkest corners of his subconscious had conjured.
Oh, he wasn't thinking straight. Neither of them were thinking straight. His breath blew hotter, enticing just the smallest of sounds.
Like the ghost of a moan. And that temptation grew loud.
He wanted to breathe him in. Sickeningly, greedily, he wanted to hear it again. Raph shook in his nerves and finally dared his lips to his skin. And he was rewarded with that cute sound of his.
Just once more. Just a little bit more. He couldn't take it. He pressed kisses again to his neck, brushed along his jaw.... nipped his throat, accelerated and feverish.
"Uh-haa..." Donnie backpedaled weakly to the wall, clutching him close despite himself, pressing and tangling to him, his shell mashing and flipping switches, but he loved it all. "...Raph..."
It coated his brain, so encompassing. And then his lips were just a world away. It seemed like everything suspended, waiting for that distance to end... He leaned into his breath...
And his shell flipped the wrong switch.
KAAAAAAA~KAAAAAA~KAAAAAA~KAAAAAA
CHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEP
The entire security system went berserk, blaring alarms assaulting their ears and scaring them senseless. And the two of them shrieked, shoving off each other as though they were boiling.
Everything was going off. Cameras moved out of control. The windshield wipers viciously whipped back and forth. Lights blinked again and again... Three smoke bombs went off from beneath the suspension. The garbage cannon they had been working on began to spin.
And Raph and Donnie's faces were stark red. Donnie quick dove back into his seat, trying to fix everything, his hands fast and panicked.
"DUDES WHAT'S GOING ON???!" Mikey's voice yelped against the noise from the outside.
"NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IS GOING ON!" Donnie shrieked, hands fumbling with the right switches but finally he cut the alarms.
But his heart was still hammering, breath shaking.
What just happened?! WHAT HAD THEY JUST DONE?! Did they just make out?!! No. No, no, no, no. That would imply they had been kissing. They hadn't. They hadn't... quite kissed...
'Necking' was... probably more appropriate.
They stared at each other in horror.
"...Are you guys okay?!" Mikey called.
"YES!" "FINE!" "Very fine! We don't need you!"
Donnie froze. "W-We..."
"Uh..."
"T-The... the shaft!" he blathered.
"Yeah!" Raph agreed.
"We need to... work...!"
"Get it workin'!"
"Yes... The shaft!"
"Yeah!"
"N-Not...!"
"Right!" Raph finished. And they quickly went separate ways.
The Shellraiser's repairs had never been quicker. They barely even looked or regarded one another. There was a new spike of sin that existed here now somehow, like chemicals in a raw, volatile cocktail, dangerous as it was contagious. It viciously stirred around and tightened in their guts.
Who knew what it was made of now. But they were sure two seconds and a light of match could burn their whole world down. And with wrenches turned and wires repaired, even with clumsy hands and far away thoughts, the Shellraiser returned to her proper fortress of weapons just as Mikey came bursting back into the garage, this time in full sprint.
And there was panic in his eyes.
"DONNIE!" He leapt up and seized Donnie's arms. "We need you NOW BRO!"
"WOAH!! What?!" Donnie tripped, nearly falling as he dragged him out of the room. "Wait a minute! What's going on?!"
"It's Master Splinter!! ...He's not breathing!!"