She had landed a solid punch against him. Square in the jaw and he had stumbled even. Raphael was impressed, proud even! Why proud? Maybe not proud but he felt something. She has trained for a little over a year and despite what she lacked in physical training she was surprisingly well versed in Ninjutsu. Granted he wasn't going all out and she had caught him off guard, but still. Where she hit him smarted but was dulled by a welling feeling in his chest and a terrifying thought crossing his mind.

"Uh- Raph? Are… You okay?" April kept her guard up but she glanced away nervously "I didn't hit you that hard did I?"

"What?" Raphael snapped back to reality, they were still in training, right. Onward with training "Don't get ahead of yourself, it was a lucky shot."

He lowered center of gravity and widened his stance, see he was fine. April had a half smile creep across her face and captivating gleam in her eye. Wait, that wasn't right, she was like his kid sister or something. Yeah, she was pretty and what not, but you know you can think someone is pretty without, you know, liking them. When did liking April become a thing for Raph. That gushy nonsense was up Donnie's avenue. April saw the turtle hesitate and tried to land another punch, this time he dodged and was about to do a leg sweep when April kneed him in the gut. Raph sputtered, he was caught again.

"Okay, is something wrong?" April said as she jumped back expecting a counter move but the red clad turtle was still doubled over "Are you even trying, or have I really just gotten better?"

Raphael couldn't even utter a snarky reply. Why was she so distracting? He cursed under his breath. April snickered. He glared at her. What was he doing? Letting his feelings get the better of him.

Donatello is the one who has a crush on April, not him.

Raphael put up his fists and shook he head.

Casey is the one who has a crush on April, not him.

The two started sparing again but Raphael's thoughts were slowing him down. Little memories and emotions floated through the air like silk of a spider's web. One wasn't a problem but together they were powerful. That's what this was. Liking April was a web he didn't want to get tangled in, yet as he struggled he felt like he was getting caught in more of those damn threads. April was taunting him a bit. No more than their usual banter but, April only spoke like this with him. Somehow that held more meaning now, did it mean something? He felt embarrassed when she picked on his clumsiness, not because it was embarrassed that he was slow, everyone has their off day, but that she had noticed he was off his game.

April put her arms down "This is ridiculous! You aren't even trying!"

Raph just stared at her, he had gotten lost in another train of thought.

"I mean, the first hit was impressive, a lucky shot, but I've got you five times now!" April threw up her hands "You didn't even react for the last three. Raphael I mean- Michy has a longer attention span than you do right now!"

"I'm distracted-"

"I know" April turned her back to him.

"This is stupid."

"It is stupid," April sighed, she still was facing away "If you don't want to train anymore just say so."

She thought he was doing so poorly that he didn't want to train, that he wanted to pass up a good sparring match?

Oh no, that ticked him off just enough "Who said we were done?"

She had ignored two major rules of fighting, never drop your guard and never turn your back to the enemy. Raph in the blink of an eye grabbed her arm while simultaneously kicking her feet out from underneath her. April yelped and smacked the mats. Raph was on top of her and pinned her to the mat.

He sat on her stomach and hips "Ha! Never drop your guard. The fights not over until it's over."

"That was cheap!" April swung futilely at him but he just laughed.

"You're not even trying~" Raphael teased her as he batted her punches away "I mean, have you gotten worse or something? I think you are about, let's see, fifteen years behind me or so."

"Sometimes, I hate you." April tried punching his thighs but Raphael was unfazed by her attempts.

"I know girly." Raph settled more of his weight into her gut and April groaned under the new pressure.

"You suck!" April kind of laughed "You weigh a ton. Dude, lay off the pizza!"

"I see your wit is as impressive as your fighting skills." Raphael smiled down at the red head who tried swiping at him again. He took her arm and put her in an arm bar "Ah ha! You make this too easy."

April groaned and Raphael realized that the arm bar required him to be chest to chest with April O'Neil so he could pin her other arm. Not really a problem usually. Keyword, usually. Being chest to chest meant he was now face to face, nose to nose and a little too close. He got a good look at the sheen of sweat from their workout, he was aware of her breathe on his face and the determined glare in her eyes. Raphael suddenly felt awkward as the back of his next prickled.

"Um-" Raphael looked away.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Donatello's shrill panic shattered the scene.

"Wait!" Raphael loosened up his grip on April as he focused on his brother. Raphael couldn't help but feel like he was caught doing something worse "I can't- holy shell!"

April cried out in triumph when she thrust her hips up and threw Raphael forward forcing him to catch himself and losing his control of the fight. April slipped out from under him just as Donni smacked him across his face with his staff.

"I freaking swear-" Raph felt rage bubbling just below the surface of his skin "I WILL END YOU!"

Raph jumped up and lunged at his brother who squeaked in fear.

"Are we done here?" April asked but Raph was too busy wailing on his poor brother to respond.

April smiled and left the boys to hash out their differences when Raph was sure she was gone he slowed to a pause.

Donatello wiped his nose, it was bleeding a little "I'm serious, what the heck were you and April doing?"

"Can you stop be a jealous little prick for five seconds?" Raph muttered under his breath, shaking not entirely from anger.

"What?" Donnie blinked confused.

"How about you stop acting like you have exclusive property rights to April!" Raphael shouted at his brother, he was angry but this went deeper than the usual spikes in his temper.

"Well- I. Don't…" Donnie didn't actually know how to counter his brother's odd behavior when it clicked "Y-you really- what I- Do you have a crush on April?"

Raph's mouth hung open, partially because of the look of broken trust in Donnie's eyes and how his brother spoke like he was accusing him of something heinous but partially because Raph realized it was kind of true. He had the smallest crush on April O'Neil and he didn't like it.

"No- Are you crazy?! That's stupid." Raphael jumped up "You're stupid. I have a crush on April? Pshh! What?"

"You… have a crush on-" Donatello glared viciously at Raphael grabbing his staff what was just a few feet away.

Did he have to be so loud? Raph bit his lip.

"Of all the people!" Donatello looked down as he twisted his staff in his hands "YOU!"

Raphael slammed him against the wall and hissed "Shut up before I break your shell!"

"YOU- mmmhhm" Raph slapped a hand over Donnie's angry rebuttal.

"Ugh, okay I don't actually know. I really don't I swear Donni! You've gotta believe me!" Raphael begged.

Donatello looked into the panicked and confused eyes of his brother it was when Raphael saw Donnie look back at him with sympathy that he removed his hand. His brother would understand having a crush despite the odds being against him. Donatello didn't say anything at first just smiling understandingly at his brother.

But of course it flipped back to vibrant rage "I've had a crush on her forever! Are you kidding me!"

Raph slapped his hand firmly over Donnie's mouth once more, simply rolling his eyes.

"Yeah I know." Raphael was recovering from the shock now and it was being replaced by pure brotherly irritation, and a primal urge to tease said brother "Although you are huge wimp. I could probably steal April out from under you in my sleep! Not that she and I be doing much sleeping if that ever happened."

Raph smiled wickedly down at his little brother who thrashed and swore from under his hand. He just laughed at Donatello and let him off the wall but Donatello verbally attacked him. Raphael knew his brother was hopping mad and it was his fault for provoking him but it was just too easy. Leonardo came bursting in, following the sound of Donatello's profuse cursing as he chased Raphael around The Lair.