Things Change

Chapter 4: I Feel So Pretty

Casey Jones was frowning, his lips tightly pressed together and both arms crossed over his torso as he glared down towards the turtle sitting on the edge of the building. With his battled and scarred shell facing his human friend, Raphael let out a tiresome sigh and rearranged the sentences in his head once again as he still wondered if this was a good idea to begin with.

In the past few days the red cladded turtle had been going crazy just being in the same room as his brother, and recently he have even been having these fantasies of his leader which always left him red faced and bothered with a cold shower. In short, he's tired of keeping this inside, and he's willing to risk his friendship with Casey, just so he can get someone to know about how he felt.

Finally Raphael cleared his throat and started off with a light voice tainted with a hint of embarrassment. "I-I just need to get this off of my chest, and you're the only one I can really talk to about this so-Hear me out, okay?"

"Sure pal, anything you say. I'll listen." Casey assured him, and believe it or not but those few words made the mutant turtle feel like he might actually manage this and keep his friend at the same time. "Go on, dude."

"I've been having these weird feelings about someone...Like, the pesky kind of feeling where you can't stop wanting to be around them or just to see them..." He started, still not turning around to face the other behind him.

"Okay, well nothing I expected to hear from you, since well you are a mutant turtle. There aren't that many chicks that swing that way, man. No offence." The vigilante commented with a shrug.

"Some taken..." The red cladded turtle replied dryly but couldn't surpass a small smile as he heard his friend's small snicker and apology. "Sad to say it isn't a girl I'm falling for then."

That however made the human snap his head towards his reptile friend and stare in a somewhat puzzled expression, or rather a more conserved one perhaps? Either way Raphael have never felt so open and vulnerable, judgmental and scared in his whole life. He was fully open to his friend who could now judge him or simply go along with it.

Casey cleared his throat awkwardly. "At least I won't have to worry about you taking April."

"Ha, yeah." Raph replied with an exhale. "I-I've been having weird feelings for, one of my bros. A-And I know we're not blood related or anything, but I-it's still just...weird."

"Is it Mikey?" The human suddenly asked, sounding completely serious one can get. "Well?" Raphael hastily turned with a clear frown of disgust on his face.

"Heck no! Why would you even think him and I-You know what, never mind. I don't wanna know."

"So it's Donnie then? Looks like April is all mine-" He continued with a smirk.

The red cladded turtle only sighed and once again turned around so that he faced the street. "No...not him either."

"Then-"

"Yeah, it's Leo..."

.....

They had a small sparring session, to which Raphael became slightly unhappy since he didn't get paired up with Leonardo, more than cared to admit. Nonetheless he had enjoyed his time with Michelangelo as he found his younger brother actually putting up a real deal of a fight with this newly found skill and kata.

"There will be no further training today. Rest up well, for tomorrow I will not go as easy on you as I have been today." Master Splinter exclaimed sternly, but none one could fail to notice the tiny smirk that formed on his lips as he uttered the last part.

Leonardo stayed behind as everyone began to exit. Thinking that she was alone, the blue cladded turtle put in her earphones and put on her playlist. Cleaning the dojo had been a good distraction from her breeding season. Not to mention her daily talks with Donatello.