Double Take

After a long day of exploring the ship and playing the games they provide it was inevitable that it would have to end. 

“Guys! Time for dinner, get dressed!” Big Mama called out. On ships there is a dining area where every guest eats. Swimsuits may be comfy but they can’t eat in that, so they had to change. 

“Yes! We don’t want to be late, I heard they’re serving pizza!” Splinter yelled excitedly. That did the trick as five people dragged the other five by the hand, down the halls, up the stairs, and to their room. 

“Oh, you silly billies! You would really do anything for pizza, would you? You got here in under thirty seconds, that has to be a record of some kind.” Mama took turns patting all her kids in the head (including April), needing Raph to kneel down so she can stroke his hair. 

“Uh, duh momma! Pizza is the best food of all time!” Leo said playfully, sliding his arm around his mom to hug her. 

“Yeah, yeah, now get dressed. All of you are soaked.” She pointed to the bathroom. 

“After you’re all done me and Lou will change as well. One by one. Dress fancy.” Everyone didn’t argue, racing to their bedrooms. Grabbing pieces of clothes, they all try to choose who should go first. 

“I say it should be our guests, after all this is their gift.” Raph stated. The younger brothers nodded in agreement. 

“But what order? Like- youngest to oldest, oldest to youngest, ladies first? What?” Mikey peeped curiously. 

“Not a bad question, since we all know are own ages and our friends are around the same age, youngest to oldest should be the most efficient.” Donnie analyses, lifting his head up thoughtfully. 

“Ok, it’s settled then! Alex, you’re up first!” With a hearty push from Leo, he stumbled into the bathroom. 

“Leo! Why’d ya push him!?” Mikey looked concerned. He really cared about Alex, so much so he was visibly upset by Leo’s shoving of him. 

April restraints herself from giggling. He was so obvious! 

“He’ll be fine, Mike.” Leo laughed it off. Mikey let out a grumble. Sunita had a huge grin on her face. The two look at each other, time to start step one: Realize. 

“Mind if I slide in boys? Need to steal Mikey for a sec.” Before any of the brothers of Mikey himself could respond, April and Sunita was dragging him into the bedroom, where they still have view of the bathroom and therefore who leaves from it. They threw him to the floor and waited for him to stand up again.

“Aps, Suni, mind if I ask why you need me? And why you just threw me?” Mikey was being strangely polite yet aggressive at the same time. He brushed himself off as he stood up.

“Time for your own Dr. Feelings session.” April beamed, putting on a brown turtleneck that showed up from thin air. 

“My own session? What do you mean?” Mikey chirped in confusion. Sunita was also now wearing a turtleneck and glasses which he didn’t know where she got them from. 

“Michael, my dear friend, the best baby brother April could ask for…” Sunita started. She had a shit-eating grin on her face that puzzled Mikey. 

“You havvvvve-“ April dragged out. Mikey was getting slightly annoyed. “A CRUSH!” The two loudly announced, startling the rest of the people there in the living room. 

Angelo blinked owlishly, his eyes in a state of shock. Like a loading computer he froze. 

“Uh… Mikey?” April asked, amused. He was so taken aback by this he just sat there with a mostly blank look on his face with eyes dilated and mouth agape.

Without any other way to react Mikey just laughed, nervously fidgeting his fingers. “A crush? What!? What are you guys taking about!? And besides, with who anyway?” Angelo was sweating. He didn’t realize why. 

“Don’t you see? The longing gazes you do to him, the blushing, the jokes and teasing, you have a crush on-“ The sound of a door swinging open cut off April.

With perfect comedic timing, Alex stepped out of the restroom, dressed in a dark gray suit with a bright orange bow tie. Mikey’s favorite color.

He shifted the jacket over his blazer to fix it up, looking slightly uncomfortable. When he did tidy it up, the frown once on his face faded into a innocent-looking smile. 

Speak of the devil. 

April and Sunita smirked at each other as a furious flush creeped on Mikey’s face. Alex turned his head slightly and noticed the three in the other room. 

“Oh- hi Mikey! Do I look good?” His eyes lit up with wonder for his answer.

“I- uh- yep! You look nice- like really nice, heh…” He blurted out, flustered smile on his face. 

“Oh, thank goodness. I thought I looked stupid, I mean why are we dressing so fancy? It’s pizza!” He rubbed his arm. 

“Oh! Of course not, you can never look stupid! You always look-… not stupid!” Alex laughed at Mikey response, finding it quite cute. Why did he find it cute? He didn’t know but it was. 

“Actually, there is no pizza, we wanted you guys to hurry and-“ 

“DAD YOU LIED!?” The sons yelled out. 

The guests let out collective laughs and Mikey thought his heart would rip out of his chest, it was beating so fast, god he loves Alex’s laugh. 

After a bit more back and forth between the friends he turned back to April and Sunita. His face was even more stunned. 

“Oh me gosh… I have a crush.” He whispered so only the girls could hear him. 

Oh. He sees now. 

A lot of things are now making sense, I guess finding your buddy handsome isn’t just a best friend thing. 

It made sense, but it felt strange. Just yesterday he was saying things like ‘We’ll be friends forever!’ But it wasn’t the bad kind of strange. 

But what if he doesn’t like boys? Or just not him…?

No! He has to be hopeful, there is a chance. And he will take it.

A lot of weight has dropped from his chest, as he sighed in relief. 

So much makes sense now. Mikey had a dopey grin. 

“I have a crush…!” He whispered again. His eyes were teary as he softly laughed. One down. 

Three to go. 

__________________________________

“HERE IS MIKEY BACK WE NEED DON, BYE!” April yelled while already hurdling Donnie away. She dropped him unceremoniously onto the ground of the same bedroom they had a meeting with Mikey in.

“April, Sunita, pardon my French but… WHAT THE FUCK!?” Donnie snapped at them. Suni shushed him by aggressively putting her finger over his mouth. 

“Why are you two dressed like Dr. Feelings? Did Michael set you two up to this!? I told him I would go to his sessions when we get back home!” Donnie whispered-yelled.

“Donatello, we have something of most importance to discuss.” April said so seriously it was funny. Sunita giggled at her girlfriend’s antics. 

“What is it?” Donnie’s voice was now curious. 

“To put it simply, you gotta thing for your friend.” Sunita deadpanned. Donnie almost fell backwards by the accusation, he was so taken aback. 

“Here, we should sit down.” April took Donnie’s hand to help him safely down. Suni was soon to follow, dropping down.

“You two are ludicrous! I don’t have a crush on him and even if I did, it’s just a chemical reaction in my head that I can-“

Before Donnie could finish Kevin had walked out of the bathroom. He wore a button-up shirt with a coat, trying desperately to make it look like a suit, and a purple tie. Donnie’s favorite color. 

“Sorry Mr. and Ms. Hamato, I don’t own a suit.” He shifted with his clothes awkwardly, still trying to make it look like a suit. 

“Ah, you’re fine! I used to be famous and I don’t have one either! Haha!” Splinter patted him on the head. It messes up his hair, making it more frizzy. 

Sunita and April gave him a knowing look as he blushed. His eyes were glued on Kevin- he was stunning. 

“Uh- you look nice.” Donnie uttered. Kevin beamed at the praise. 

“Thanks D!” He flashed a bright smile, making Donnie more red in the face. He turned to continue talking to Splinter.

“You were saying Don-Don~?” April teased, squishing his cheeks. 

“April… I swear.” He snarled at her. 

“But we were totally right! You got a crush!” Sunita whispered with a smile. 

Her words hit him like a truck. He had a crush on his best friend. 

SHIT.

SHIT, SHIT, SHIT. No! Why!? Why him!? Not only is this a cheesy cliché but a huge problem. HE IS HERE ON THE TRIP. He is his best friend! He always told him they would be friends forever! Why!? Who could say that they saw this coming!? 

He is his friend! He probably doesn’t even swing that way…

FUCK, WHY!? Well then…

He has a crush. 

“…God damn it.” He muttered. He let out a groan of annoyance. Why!? Why him? 

April and Sunita just smiled as his inner monologue was loudly told by his facial expression’s. Success. Two down.

Two more to go. 

__________________________________

“LEO NOW!” The two yelled as they manhandled Leo without much care. Leo couldn’t even process what was happening before he was tossed to the ground.

“Girls, my sisters from other misters, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” He yelled, a uncharacteristic scowl on his face. “You all are dressed like Dr. Feelings… did Mikey set you up to this?” He said now with worry in his face. 

“Nope! Now listen to me Leo.” April laughed out. He gave her a puzzled look. 

“You like Usagi!” Sunita said for April, inpatient. “You like him soooo much!!!” 

Leo almost slipped, tripping over himself in a confused, flustered panic.

“Babbbbe! I was going to say it!” April pouted dramatically. She crossed her arms in mock anger and let out a huff. 

“Sorry my love, but you were taking too long! I couldn’t take the suspense! I’m not good at keeping secrets!” Sunita jokingly whiled. She played along with April’s antics, leaving Leo confused, gaping his mouth with shrunken pupils in his shock. 

Him? Having a crush on Yuichi!? Never in a million years! That’s ridiculous! He just found him funny, and kind, and amazing, and dorky yet also handsome, he had the cutest smile and that he has lovely hair- oh. 

Oh god. Of course. Of course he falls in love with the first dumbass that shares the same brain cell as him. Shitty sense of humor and all. Why didn’t he see this sooner!? Who could say that they saw this coming!? Not his ass.

But he isn’t surprise either to be completely honest. Of course a gay motherfucker like him would fall for his best friend- but why did it had to be him? Now? And with someone who is most likely straight too! Ugh. Life really wanted to shit over him, huh? 

Life is a bitch.

“…Of course.” He sighed. Just as he came to accept this Usagi with perfect timing stumbled out of the bathroom in a black suit, with button shirt underneath with a blue tie. Leo’s favorite color. It had a little cape with it so he flaunted it around like the lovable dork he was, god he was so cute! 

Oh my goodness, he is down bad. He is so fucked. 

“Looks like your the hero now, huh fur face?” Leo teased, smirking to hide how flustered he was. 

“You bet! I guess that means you’re the damsel in distress, huh?” Yuichi joked, sending him finger guns- the most stupid yet adorable thing he could have done. 

“Oh please! I can handle myself bun-bun!” The two laughed much to the annoyance of everyone else there. Groans and eye rolls were made as the teens in blue had a riot about it. As much as the two were unbearable, April couldn’t help a fond smile. Three down. 

One to go.

__________________________________

Before they could even grab him Raph just walked into the room. He looked lazy and unimpressed, clearly he was expecting this. At least he didn’t put up a fight- they walked into the room too. 

“Ok, let’s get this over with- whatcha need from Raph?” Raphael asked, raising a eyebrow. He didn’t trust the grind getting wider as eyes with the same amount of sparkling mischievousness stared up at him. 

“Raphie boy, to put it simply you have a crush!” April held onto his hand. It became sweaty in a matter of seconds as the Raph’s eyes went wide, body paralyzed in shock. 

He looked somewhat under a trance. Pupils shaking and darting across the room, his fear stink airing up the room. 

“Uh- Raph? You good big man?” Sunita questioned, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

“HA! Oh- that’s a good one! You got me! Nice prank.” He laughed, fist bumping the two fellow teens. 

“Not a prank baby bro- you like your friend.” April patted him on the back, grinning ear to ear. 

Oh. Of course. 

Of course this happened. Why isn’t he surprised? He always said that they’d be friends forever yet here we are. Of course this happened, there was no other this could have gone. Of course the first guy he found attractive was his best friend. The guy who most definitely likes girls… maybe he likes both? There is no harm in hoping, after all. 

He has a crush. That’s ok. 

And right on cue, Elijah came waltzing out of the bathroom, black suit on, shades for a reason that was probably foolish knowing him, and a red tie. Raph’s favorite color. 

Speaking of red- his face was that color. He blushed something aggressive as Aps and Suni giggled like school children. They had to change now and they did one by one! But they couldn’t stop thinking about the accomplishment they made. They got through to these fools- denser than rocks. That’s quite the goal.

After Splinter, Big Mama, and the boys were done changing, Mama in a sparkling purple dress and Splinter in a blazer it was time to go, and the boys in suits where the only difference being the colors of the ties they were wearing it was time to go!

Leaving the room with matching black dresses they had a satisfied look on their faces. This was going to be a fun summer. April asked a question which Sunita already know the answer of. 

Tell me, do you feel the love?”

“You bet I do!”