April yawned widely as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, all ready for "movie night" in her pajammas and robe. All she needed was her popcorn which was currently preparing itself in her microwave. She brushed some water over her face for a third time and then pressed it into the towel on the rack to her right. It had been about three days since her incredible spar with Raph, and she was STILL feeling the afterburn. Turning and walking out towards the kitchen she pressed her hands to her back to have a good long stretch. It would be good to just relax and cozy down with a good film.

Opening the microwave she retrieved the bag and emptied the steaming popcorn into a large metal bowl, popping a piece or two into her mouth and savoring the buttery taste. She took the bowel over to the sofa and sat it on the table at the side, scouring the movies she'd rented on a whim earlier.

"Now, why did I even think of getting this one again?" she asked herself quietly as she discovered a copy of Aliens in her stack. She was a big fan of sci-fi movies, but recalled that this one still gave her the creeps. The big, gooey, drooling, hissing aliens...and the crawly, creepy face-huggers that planted eggs inside--

A rapping at her window startled April so much that she dove behind the couch with a shriek, nearly toppling the popcorn bowl. Peering over the back of the couch warily, she instantly felt ridiculous. Hopping back to her feet, she walked over and unlocked the window, raising it up and open.

"Can I help you?" she asked, embarassed.

"Bad time?" Raphael asked, already thoroughly amused at her oh-so-girly antics.

"I'm just about to sit and watch my movies," she responded, planting her hands on her hips. "That's all."

"Haven't seen you out lately."

"Haven't felt like being anywhere," she replied, simply. "I just want to relax at home. Now, did you need anything?" Apparently, she still hadn't let go of the night prior, considering her attitude.

"Just wondered where you've been...s'all," he replied, a little quieter. "Are you still mad?"

"Me? I don't hold grudges, Raph, you know that." He watched her a moment as if he wasn't sure that was entirely true. April sighed and dropped her arms to her sides in defeat. "Fine... a little... But it's nothing I won't get over. I know you aren't really a jerk...normally. Now would you get in here, you're letting all my heat out."

Raphael did as he was asked and slid in through the window, stepping back to let April close and re-lock it behind him.

"So, you aren't training tonight, then."

"I'm afraid not," she said, with a slight chuckle, returning to her stack of videos to make a choice. "Still recovering. You really gave me a workout, Raph." Raphael fiddled with his sai at his sides at the comment, but made no attempt to really respond. "Movie night, tonight," April continued. "If you want, you can watch with me instead...unless you still have to go train."

Raphael lifted his head and blinked a couple of times at the invitation. "No... not really... I mean.. Sure. Why not?" He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged cooly, moving around to the other side of the sofa where April was.

"Great... So.. I'm thinking this or this," she said, holding up two dvds that looked to be in every which way a couple of chick-flicks. Raphael cleared his throat a little and raised a brow. April looked down at the movies in her hands. "Ah...right... Probably not." She glanced idly at the copy of Aliens on the table. "Well I do have this..."

"Ah! No! Over there! God, just shoot it!!" April squirmed and crouched on the sofa by Raphael and hid her face in her sleeves. She'd been doing this for almost half the movie. Her eyes peeked over her sleeves just to see the Queen alien hissing and spitting. She shoved her face back into her hands and pressed them to Raphael's shoulder. Perhaps this wasn't so bad.

There was a sudden fwoomp and all went dark.

"Ah! What happened...wait! Don't let me look till it's gone!"

"Actually," Raphael hummed. "The power just went." April lifted her head and peered into the dark where she once saw her TV. Everything was black.

"Perfect," she groaned and moved away from him. "Of all the powerlines someone could hit why did it have to be mine? I can't see a thing!"

"Any flashlights?" Raphael offered. He had no problem seeing in the dark. It was a ninja thing.

"Yeah... Just...over there... in the kitchen drawer," she said, suddenly sounding anxious.

"What?"

"Uhm... I ...I think I'll just wait it out right here..."

"There's nothing in your apartment, April," the turtle insisted, amused a little by her antics.

"There's a giant man-turtle in my apartment...why wouldn't there be aliens?" she murmured. In a strange way she had a good point...despite how ridiculous it sounded. "Listen...we'll just sit here... and wait till the power comes back. They should get right on it... in a matter of seconds really."

"O-kay," he hummed, looking at her shadowed figure beside him. She had her legs criss crossed up on the couch and her hands tucked in her lap.

"I must seem silly," she finally said.

"Just a little, but you always are, April." She fake-punched his arm then.

"Be nice to me tonight, jerk."

"I am. That is the extent of my niceness."

"Lucky me." They sat quietly for a moment and Raph tapped his leg with a hand, glancing about the apartment should there actually be face-huggers hiding in April's bookshelves and cupboards. "Raph...?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you want to fight me a couple days ago?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted to fight me...not your brothers. I'm no challenge for you - I know that..."

"...I just wondered what it'd be like with someone different...that's all," he replied quietly, hoping she'd buy that.

"I guess... I was sort of honored that you wanted to." Raphael sat quietly and lowered his eyes a little in the dark, giving his typical silent response. I was honored you wanted to, he wanted to say, but couldn't manage to form the words. Silence ensued for a moment longer. "Can you hand me the popcorn, please?" Raphael jarred himself from his distant thoughts and reached over to relay the bowl to April. "Thanks." He heard the popcorn crunch as she ate a couple pieces. One bounced off the side of his head.

"What was that for?"

"You were supposed to catch it. Come on, Raph, where's the ninja reflexes?" she chuckled and sunk down cozily into her side of the sofa. Another popcorn bit bounced off his nose. "Strike two."

"Stoppit," he replied, grabbing some popcorn and throwing it at her.

"Hah!" she yelped and grabbed a handful, pelting him with the buttery puffs. He scrambled to get some more before she could get another handful. She grappled with him, trying to hold back his shot so she could get hers in first.

"Hey, watch it! I'm gonna have popcorn in my shell for weeks if it gets down there!" He grappled back and April rolled off the sofa to the floor, picking wayward pieces from the carpet and continuing to throw them. Raphael held up the now empty bowl to block.

"Beware of the butteryness!" April said, lowering her voice to make it sound deep and ominous.

"Were you raised in a barn?" Raphael asked, kicking popcorn at her.

"Yes."

"Well, then." He dropped to his knees on the floor to retrieve some ammo and shower her with it. She laughed and scrambled away on all fours, rounding the other side of the couch. She seized a pillow and bounced it off his head before ducking back behind the sofa. "Hey!" He heard her try to stifle a giggle. Crouching, he began to move slowly and silently through the room, so quiet that April began to wonder if he was still there.

"Raph...?" she finally asked. There was no answer. She glanced around in the dark... hearing nothing and seeing very little.

Suddenly, she felt two arms wrap around her from behind and she yelped as she was pulled backward against something hard.

"Gotcha."

"Damnit, Raph! You nearly scared me to death!" she declared and smacked at him best she could while being held and facing away. He chuckled a little and it began to sink in that he was actually holding her. Closely. She was soft to hold, too.

"Sorry," he said lightly.

"Eh, it's fine. I'm just a big 'ole scaredy-cat when it comes to those movies," she chuckled and reached up to pat his arms around her. Her hands rested there a moment and her thumb absently traced the muscle. Then, she too, became aware of her actions and let her hands drop. Despite his reluctance, Raphael let his arms pull back as well, not wanting to appear too forward or awkward. "I think I might just turn in for the evening, Raph. Looks like the power isn't coming back as quickly as I thought," she said softly as they sat there.

"Yeah," he said. April slowly moved to her feet and Raphael followed suit, his hands fiddling with his sai again.

"This was nice. It's been awhile since I had a movie night with anyone besides myself," she said and he could see the shadowed smile on her face. "You really know how to show a girl a good time." Raphael lifted his head, unable to help the look of hopefulness on his face. He was glad that he faced away from the moonlight the window cast in...and that she probably couldn't see it. April reached up and lightly fake-punched his arm again, for good measure. "Let me escort you to the window." Raphael nodded and turned to go. He opened up the window and moved to climb out. No sense in prolonging this and making it awkward. "Hey...!" He hesitated with one knee on the window frame.

April came over and wrapped her arms around his neck for a hug. Raphael felt something leap in his chest and instinctively wrapped his arms back around her to return the gesture.

"Have a good night, okay?" April said before pulling back. All Raph could do was nod before he turned and ventured out the window. April reached up to close it and looked out at him with a smile as he crouched there looking back in. She gave a small wave and he mirrored the action, then watched her turn in the dark and disappear into her apartment.

"Night...," he murmured.