It was lonely. Well perhaps not as lonely as raph felt, with his brothers and pops around, but still lonely with out you in the lair.

Seriously what was so important about your school that you had to avoid seeing him for a few days?! And just how much longer did this school thing take?

Raph couldn't stand the fact that you hadn't popped up in the lair for a while now. It was driving him crazy not seeing his favorite person walking around. Of course raph knew you were busy, and for a good reason too, it's just that he couldn't stand being away from you too long.

He may be a little clingy with you now that he thinks about it. But he can't help it. He just missed his best friend. But the word best friend was nothing more than just a cover up on his feelings and he knew it. Nothing could really hide the real reason he wanted to see you. (It was just his massive crush that made him so antsy to have you stay away for a while.)

But even if everyone but you were acutely aware of his feelings that didn't stop him from making the excuses. He just missed you, a lot. He knew his brothers were getting fed up with his questions on how you were or if they've heard anything from you. (And he also knew that you were trying text him as much as you could, but kept reminding him that these mid terms were something you had to take seriously.)

It was just hard being away from you for so long. He's going crazy! It was clear he had to resort to plan B. He just had to see you. Raph had no other choice.

Plan b was cunning, only a plan that was saved for absolutely desperate times. There was no doubt about it, these were desperate times! (And mind raph did a good job of convincing him that he was saving you from those "mid terms.")

Raph knew when to act upon his plan. Tucked securely in bed one morning, he made sure he had everything he needed before taking action.

Wet towel over his head, check. Bugged thermometer to read a high fever, check. Teddy bear army beside him, double check.

Now he just had to sit and wait for his family to notice. Raph knew what he was doing as he laid in bed, not even emerging from his room for breakfast. (Raph never missed a meal after all.)

Which of course caused his brothers to peek their heads around the corner into his room after a while curiously. (It was odd for raph to not be the first one up.)

Donnie was the first to notice that morning. Walking into the kitchen, dragging his feet like a zombie, towards a stale granola bar. There was no raph in sight. Everyone knew he was always the first in for breakfast.

Mikey was second in, sleepily waving hello to Donnie as he reached inside the fridge for some milk. Half way through pouring it into the glass he finally noticed. Looking around frantically as if raph had been shrunk down someplace inside the room.

Leo, was of course, the last to even realize something was even wrong. Standing in the door frame about to leave, after grabbing something to eat real quick, scrunching up his face.

"Hey guys, is something missing?" With a swift turn leo had pointed between his brothers, and naturally Donnie face palmed.

By 10:30 am they filed into raph's room to see what was up. Emerging from their clustered curious position to stand fully in the snapping turtle's room.

Everything was working out according to plan. And with an exaggerated cough raph groaned hiding in his blanket, hiding his face from donnie as he leaned close examining him.

"Oh yeah," donnie leaned back running his chin thoughtfully, "he's sick."

Raph faked a believable sneeze, making himself look miserable afterwards.

"Well what do we do?!" Mikey grabbed donnie by the shoulders shaking him slightly.
"Is he gonna be okay?!"

This was the perfect moment. Coughing loudly raph groaned in fake sickness holding on to his blanket tightly after reaching for a tissue.

"There's only one person who can take care of me," raph groaned grabbing a tissue blowing into it, "(Y/N)!"

It was quite for a moment, and raph thought he blew the plan by being so quick to say your name. Maybe it wasn't as good of a timing as he thought.

"Oh yeah he's delusional." Leo took a wary step back from the bed.
"Someone cal them up."

"On it." Donmie walked outside of the room with his phone in hand. Flawless!  His brothers seemed completely oblivious to his acting and proceeded to call you up. This was going swimmingly.

Now raph had to do was wait for you to get here. How ever long that would be. Surely it wouldn't be too long. His brothers left the room, none of them wanting to catch his sickness, as the wait commenced.

A few minutes ticked by.

You were coming right?

"Where is he?!" Your sudden shout filled the air and raph heaved a sigh of relief. You came!

"In his room." Donnie sounded far away now.

"But be careful! He could be so frail!"

"Eh yeah come on Mikey, we'll leave you to it now (Y/N)."

Leo and Mikey were getting farther away too, and raph now just sat in bed with baited breath listening to the footsteps that approached his room. Then he saw you.

He smiled widely at the sight of you after a few days trying to contain his loud laughter and desire to get up and smother you in a hug. (If plan b was going to work he can't be his normal self!)

"Raph!" You shouted slightly dropping your bag at the foot of his bed rushing over to his side.
"Oh my gosh are you okay? What made you so sick?"

"Sick?" Raph suddenly lost character. Then he realized and shook his head sucking in a deep breath as if his nose was stopped up.
"I-I mean!- oh well I don't know. It's just really bad ya know? Only something you could make better."

Oh the smile you gave him at that. Raph wanted to burst with joy. His face heated up at the sight of your sweet smile. Normally he'd try to hide it but it was exactly what he needed to help sell his sickness.

"Have you taken any medication or eaten yet?" You examined him closely. Trying to assess the situation. Well now that you mentioned it he was kind of hungry.

"Nah I haven't had breakfast or anything. No meds either. What do ya say is it bad?" Raph gasped a bit forcing a cough.

You seemed more worried now. Uh oh he doesn't like that look on your face. He didn't mean to scare you.

"I'll go get you something. How's your throat?" You were a regular nurse making sure he was okay. Raph simply couldn't stop the dopey smile that crossed over his face at your kindness.

"My what?" He felt like he was in heaven with the way you got closer to him removing the damp cloth of his head folding it neatly to the side. So close to getting a delicate touch from you.

"Your throat silly." You poked his shoulder.

"Oh that!" Raph laughed nervously then remembered he had to fake cough again.
"It's uh fine! I'm just really cold."

You nodded thoughtful at that.

"I'll be right back with some food and medicine, don't go anywhere okay?" You smiled walking towards the door and all raph could do was smile back echoing an okay back until you were out of the room.

This was great! Not only did his plan actually work but his brothers were out of the way and all you could think about was him! This was the perfect win win situation

'But what if you're hogging their attention too much and they fail their what ever it is at school!' Mind raph had to ruin the fantasy.

I'm sure it's fine! After all (Y/N) wouldn't just rush over here if things weren't at least semi taking care of!

'Or maybe they're so worried about you that they dropped everything just to take care of you!' Mind raph always had the best points.

Raph huffed crossing his arms now sitting up in bed. It was a bad thought. Would you really do that for him though? (Even if you being here was sweet enough the idea that you cared so much to drop it all for him just made him want to swoon. But there's no way right? He wasn't being bad right?)

"Okay," your voice interrupted his deep thinking, "I got you some soup and some Advil."

You held a tray close to your chest as you walked inside his room, setting it up so that he could eat comfortably in bed. Raph just watched as you set it up for him in silence. He can't take the questions in his mind anymore he had to know if you really dropped everything to be here with him right now!

"Uh, (Y/N)?" Raph looked down at you. Watching the way you turned to look up at him? Both of you not realizing how close the other was. Raph looked away rubbing the nape of his neck awkwardly.
"I-I was just wonderin'...did you finish your school stuff?"

You were quite for a moment.

"No." A short answer.
"When donnie called me telling me how sick you were and that you really wanted me around I dropped everything to make sure you were okay. Why?"

So oblivious. You smiled even if you had no idea just what it did to the poor gentle giant. And raph now he felt bad for pulling your attention away like that.

Sure it was worth it for a little bit and while he's only had your attention for a few moments it felt like utter bliss having you back. But not at the expensive of you getting a bad grade he knew how much it meant to you.

"Well," raph cleared his throat awkwardly, "say maybe someone you know faked being sick cause the missed you. And say that the someone didn't know that you had dropped everything for them. And say maybe that this someone also felt really bad about that but just wants your attention so much he-I mean- they would do anything to get it."

You stared at him confused.

"And say that now that this person maybe said all this aloud they realize that this was a bad idea and didn't mean to be an attention hog." Raph laughed nervously all signs of sickness washed away in his embarrassment.

"You-" you leaned away from him face red enough to match his bandana.
"You went though all that trouble cause you missed me?"

"Uh yeah. When you put it like that it sounds way better." Raph laughed a little bit more.

You couldn't look at him, and when he realized that his laughter died. Oh no you hate him! You think he's the worst! Oh way to go mind raph! He better give him a taste of his own medicine!

"That's so sweet." Your voice stopped raph from punching himself. His fist lowering as soon as it raised.

"Huh?" Raph gasped lightly looking at you intently. Did he mishear you?

You hid your face slightly from him. Smile plastered on it unable to stop it.

"That you went through all that trouble because you missed me." You clarified, slowly bringing your gaze towards him.

"You see I-" Raph didn't know how to explain himself. He can't just blurt out he did it all because he had a crush on you!

But your giggles made the words melt away in his mouth. A smile replacing them instead.

"I don't mind that you wanted to be an attention hog you know." You laughed a little more.
"Just next time don't be so dramatic about it. I don't think it suits you."

Raph may not have been able to perfectly execute the plan. But at least it worked out in the end to being quality time with you. (Even if part of him wanted to admit his love to you.)

But this was fine. He was happy being an attention hog. No correction, raph was happy being your attention hog.
_________________________
"Should we tell him we knew he was faking it?" Leo was laying upside down on the recliner flicking threw the tv channels boredly.

"And risk having to hear more of his complaints if (Y/N) didn't rush over here so fast? I don't think so." Donnie spoke in the midst of a game of Uno against Mikey.

"Yeah, you're right. This is way better than that." And with that the brothers enjoyed some silence.

Raph wasn't as slick as he thought but maybe it's better that way.