He hurdles across tall buildings, swerving and tumbling in midair, to land on a secluded rooftop. The cascading moonlight flickers before him as Raphael takes out his phone, quickly messaging her.

Come back home

April has been gone for a month now, at a retreat with her co-workers out of state. Once in a while, she would go on a vocation in order to prepare to become a better journalist. Raphael at first wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but later decided she should go, because he truly wants her to be happy in her career, even if it meant he wouldn't be able to see her for a while. As their relationship began to flourish, he couldn't feel but want to be with her all the time. He enjoys spending time with her.

He checks back his phone - nothing. He types again, slightly struggling because of his overlarge fingers.

Can you come back home

He tucks his phone into the pocket of his belt, then turns to go back to the lair, but not before punching a brick wall.

—-

He slams the steel door shut after bursting into the lair.

"Jeez, Raph! Do you always have to be so loud?" He scowls at his older brother with annoyance.

"Shut up." He strolls to the pizza-box made couch, harshly sitting down. Leonardo turns from the kitchen sink and looks at his hot tempered brother.

"You missed dinner." Raphael rolls his eyes and grunts, bulging arms crossing over broad chest. Leonardo finishes cleaning the dirty dishes, wiping his hands dry with a clean, yet stained, towel. Placing it on the handle of the stove, he walks to stand in front of Raphael. "What's wrong, Raph."

Without looking up, and exclaiming, "nothin's wrong! Can't I jus' sit here? Damn!" he places his hands on his knees, ready to hoist up to walk out of the living room. The eldest brother takes hold of his shoulder, sensing the hostility in the air along with the tension in his muscles.

"Raphael, if something is bothering you—" Immediately, Raphael turns to face him as he pulls away from Leonardo's grasp.

"Mind yer own business." He leaves to go to his bedroom before slamming the door loudly. Leonardo sighs and shakes his head, noting that ever since April left a month ago, his brother has been snippy with everyone in the lair, even with Master Splinter. He pondered about this quite a lot, but never developed a conclusion on why he acts the way he does, in general.

After minutes of trying to rationalize with Raphael, his two other brothers return from their scavenging.

"Leo! Guess what we found!" He turns towards the youngest, lingering thoughts still on Raphael. "We found BEER!" Leonardo's eyes widen, averting his attention to Michelangelo.

"What!?"

"Haha, just kidding. I just wanted to see your expression." Leonardo purses his lips together, rolling his eyes while scoffing.

"Actually, what we did find was some alloy material we can construct to form some sort of…" Donatello notices none of his brothers are paying attention. "…and nobody cares."

"Guys, have you noticed something about Raph lately?" Michelangelo shakes his head while Donatello shrugs.

"He's been acting kind of…off lately. Ever since April—"

"Has Angelcakes come back yet?!"

"No Mikey, she's still away." Michelangelo hunches, frowning disappointedly.

"Now that I think about it, Raph has been acting kind of irritable lately. Well, more than usual." Leonardo nods at Donatello. They remain silent until Leonardo glances at the clock on the wall, quickly heading toward Raphael's bedroom.

"Raph!" He knocks on the steel door. "Let's go, it's patrol time."

—-

As the late night approaches, he and his brothers run across the rooftops over various convenient stores in Manhattan through their start of patrolling.

"Hey guys, watch this!" Michelangelo flips around in the air, pulling out his electric skateboard Donatello built for him for his birthday.

"Mikey, please, stay alert." Leonardo isn't in the mood for such distractions, he wants to catch any delinquents that are running around loose in the area. Ever since Shredder's disappearance came about, he's on high alert about anything. He can never let his guard down. They halt on top of an abandoned store, planning their next move.

"Donnie, how far until we reach—."

"Whoo-hooo! Guys check me out!" Michelangelo continues to create fancy flips and spins in the air, shouting nonsense. "Look at me!"

"Mikey, be quiet! We're ninjas, remember?" He hisses loudly, shaking his head. Noticing Raphael lagging behind, he turns toward Raphael's direction, raising a brow ridge as he catches him scanning his phone. Raphael, sensing him, immediately puts away his phone, once again scowling at him.

"Guys, isn't that April?" Raphael rushes over, shoving Donatello, glancing to where he's pointing at. She casually walks across the street, holding two plastic bags in each hand, wearing an oversized gray sweatshirt, black yoga pants, and some sneakers, long wavy hair tied in a messy bun.

What the hell? His fists tighten, mumbling underneath his breath, before quickly running off.

"Raph! Where are you going?"

—-

Standing right outside her bedroom window, heavily breathing, he waits for her arrival, hundreds of valid excuses running in his head. He lingers on the fire escape until hearing the front door open. He lifts the window and steps into her room, still remaining in total darkness until hearing her footsteps nearing her bedroom's door. April's hand blindly searches for the light switch, yelping as soon as she spots Raphael standing in the middle of her room.

"R-Raph?! What are you doing here?" She breathes heavily from being startled, a hand over her chest.

"Shouldn't I be sayin' the same thing?"

She remains silent, confused, only to immediately arrive to the conclusion to what he implies.

"Raph, I—" She stops talking once he steps forward menacingly. She walks back as he comes nearer, leaning up against the wall, his arm resting on the wall behind her, leaning down close to her level.

"I thought you wouldn't be back for a few more days, O'Neil." She glances down, wrapping her arms around herself. He notices, lowering his arm and stepping back, changing his tone into a softer one. "Why'd ya lie?"

"I didn't mean to." Her voice comes out faintly and nervously.

"Didn't ya say that right when you arrive, you'd tell me?" She looks off to the side, ignoring him. He doesn't like the silence surrounding the room, and instead he breathes out a frustrated sigh before whispering, "Is it someone else?" Her head lifts with a confused gaze on her face.

"W-what?"

"Did you meet someone on that trip…a human?"

"What? Raph, please I—" He grunts, stepping away from her. He notices the way she places her hand on her stomach, only to look away once she catches his eye.

"Ya know, if ya wanted to end this, ya should've jus' said so." He turns away from her as she reaches for him.

"Raphael, listen, it's not—" She catches his fist tighten, sensing the tension in the air around them. He lets out a trembling exhale.

"I'm outta here." He walks towards the open window, placing his hands on its edges.

"Raph, wait!" She rushes over, but halts as he turns to face her, heavy gaze staring back at her, making her feel a bit intimidated.

He whispers, "Ya gotta do, what ya gotta do." Her eyes momentarily dart across the floor, before mustering a reply. She looks up, only to see that he's gone.