Disclaimer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Drabble 07: Life is Like a Video Game

Rating: K

Genre: Friendship, Romance

Characters: April, Mikey

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With a sigh, April unceremoniously plopped herself down on the bench across from the TV. She'd just entered the hidden, sewer lair to find only Mikey in the common area, currently engrossed in one of their old video games. The door to Donnie's lab was shut tight, she smelled incense coming from the dojo and guessed that Leo and Splinter were in the midst of meditation, and Raph was no where in sight, likely holed up in his room. Not even Casey had been able to join her on her trek down. As she watched the youngest turtle guide his bare-chested hero through a dense forest, picking up various power ups for his massive gun and killing everything in sight in bloodless 8 bit fashion, she thought about asking if she could join in, but something told her he was a little too engrossed to stop now. And so she sat quietly, her eyes fixed on the screen but her mind far away.

"You keep sighing like that and someone might just think you wanna talk."

The sudden statement startled April out of her thoughts. She stared at Mikey whose attention was still on the TV in front of him but wore a playful smile on his face. Had she really been sighing that much?

"Sorry," she said, "I guess I've been kind of distracted lately."

"Well, don't hold back on me now, dudette," he replied in a sing-song voice as he gleefully destroyed the entrance to a fortified stronghold in the midst of the trees, gaining access to the inside, "Michaelangelo is all ears!"

With a soft chuckle, April's lips curled up in a half smile. "I don't think you'd be too interested. It's girl stuff."

Mikey frowned. "Does this have anything to do with punctuation? Because Donnie said something about girls having a really hard time with periods, like, every month."

Unable to completely hold back, she managed to contain her laughter into a single, sudden snort. "No, Mikey," giggled April as she watched his manly, gun-toting sprite blast through door after door of the compound, "It's not about punctuation. It's - it's about a guy."

The young turtle nodded sagely as he approached what appeared to be a deadly super computer and began firing. "A guy. That was my next guess! In movies, girls are always sighing over some guy."

Crossing her arms defensively, April remained quiet, not sure she really wanted to discuss the matter with Mikey of all people. But admittedly she didn't have any female friends, Leo was preoccupied, and Donnie, Casey, and Raph were out of the question. So when her friend reached out and nudged her with a probing, "So?" she made up her mind. Why not?

"There's this guy," she said slowly, eyeing the youngest turtle as he was transported to an area full of waterfalls and deadly boulders, "We're really good friends. I see him a lot, and we have fun together, but lately it feels like he's been avoiding me."

"Mm-hmm," said Mikey, prodding her to continue.

She paused. "Well, I say we're friends, but actually, I like him as more than just a friend." Glancing at the turtle, she did her best not to squirm or sound too embarrassed. It's not like this was anything to be ashamed of. "I thought he liked me the same way, but then he started acting weird. I've thought about just asking him, but it's... complicated."

"What's so complicated about that?"

Watching the TV, she saw the 8 bit man climb to the top of the mountain where a strange alien looking monster rained fireballs from what she assumed were it's hands, contemplating how to best answer the question.

"It's complicated because I'm not just close to him. I'm close to his family, too. And if it turns out I'm wrong, things might get weird between us, and I don't want that to get in the way of my friendship with him or his family." She sighed again. "I want to ask, but maybe I should just leave it alone. Maybe things are better as they are right now."

"Well, that doesn't sound like the April I know."

Tearing her gaze away from the screen as the monster's head exploded, gaining Mikey access to the next level, she stared in surprise at the young turtle who seemingly remained focused on his game.

"What do you mean?" she blurted out, trying not to sound offended.

"I mean that the April I know wouldn't just leave it alone," he explained as the muscular figure on the screen entered the next complex and again began taking down enemies and crashing through doors. "If she wanted an answer, she'd march up to the dude and get an answer. See this guy?" He nodded toward the screen. "He's got somewhere to be, and nothing's gonna stop him from getting there. Not a bunch of dudes shooting bullets or evil computers or giant, flame-throwing aliens. You're like him. And if you really want something, you'll go get it."

For the first time since she'd entered the lair, Mikey turned to her with an impish grin and a wink. "Personally I'd make sure to grab the 'S' upgrade on your way there. You can't miss with that spread shot."

As he turned back to the TV without even having missed a beat, April sat in silence, staring blankly at her friend. While she was a little skeptical about being compared to a buff, shirtless guy who ran around shooting things and picking flashing letters up off the ground, the fact that Mikey saw her as someone always willing to fearlessly fight for something she believed in made her chest swell with pride. She mulled over the young turtle's words as she watched him destroy everything that got in his way as he headed down a heavily guarded corridor, and as he reached another room with a large computer, she'd made her decision.

"You're right," she said firmly as she stood from the bench. "If I want to know how he feels, I've got to ask. I'll just have to deal with whatever happens once I get my answer." Jumping up and out of the pit, she leaned down and gave the turtle a light pat on his shell. "Thanks for the girl talk, Mikey."

Standing up, she took a deep, determined breath, and began marching toward her destination.

"You know Raph totally feels the same way and that you have nothing to worry about, right?"

Jolting to a halt mid-step, April slowly turned back just in time to see Mikey grinning excitedly at the screen as the super computer blew up and a small platform raised his Rambo wannabe to the next level. A snow covered landscape appeared on screen, and her friend again started shooting at everything in sight as if he hadn't spoken a word. A smile graced her lips nonetheless, and, her confidence renewed, she quickly made her way to Raphael's bedroom door and knocked.

A/N: Well, this was random. Couldn't sleep last night, and this popped out. I imagine it takes place sometime in the future after April has already let both Donnie and Casey down gently and while trying to give them space ended up hanging out more with Raph. Raph, having lived his whole life thinking humans could never love them and constantly telling Donnie as much, started distancing himself once he thought he was in too deep. I didn't really want to write that story, but for whatever reason this little exchange between April and Mikey was begging to come out. Bonus points to anyone that knows what game Mikey's playing.