Apritello pairing confirmed? Storyboard pics!!

[victory_angel]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

I never noticed that heart thing before. It starts with five and as each panel continues it's one less. Maybe this will show that Donnie's feelings aren't as strong as they were in the beginning. Even in season 2 he calmed down a lot.

In the beginning yeah, he's infatuated on her and has gone through all the motions of a socially awkward boy with OCD would likely do with experiencing feelings of attraction for the first time.

As the series has progressed he has calmed down and seems to accept that the wanting a relationship with April and actually being in a relationship with April are two different things. He loves April, but he doesn't want to lose her so he has backed up his feelings for April is just contents himself with just being her friend. That way if she chooses someone else he's still in her life.

Now with Jones in the picture, both Donnie and Casey have an adversarial friendship. Rob Paulsen himself has described it as such. This means that yes they will each openly admit that the other is a good person to know. However when it comes to April, yes they both wish the other would just disappear. However the recent episodes have been building April and Casey's relationship and Donnie hasn't said or done anything about it. He's pretty much just standing off to the side and watched.

So this scene yeah its interpreted as Donnie saying "I've accepted that you don't have an interest in me. I'm not going to chase you anymore." And April kissing him and saying "You're my Mutant." Is her saying "Don't give up on me just yet."

The hearts yes it can be interpreted that Donnie feelings are not as strong as they once were. But I see it more as he is choosing to not jump to conclusions that things are going to be happy ending him regarding her. Every time April has hugged him, kissed him, or shown any sort of affection for him he has automatically jumped to the attitude that this is proof she likes him in return.

However with the recent events of (in no particular order): (Possible) Nearly losing her to the Kraang/Foot again, Near death of Leo, Destruction of the lair, evacuating their childhood home, having to serve as a de facto leader while Leo is out of commission. He's has been forced to grow up quite a bit, and so he is beginning to feel that his infatuation is just a boyhood fantasy.

So yeah, his feelings are still there. But they aren't as intense as they once were.