Work Text:
Splinter had finally been able to relax, his sons were currently occupied with Saturday morning cartoons on TV, and he was able to meditate in the dojo in peace. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind, sitting in what little summer sun that came through the grate above him. He was in a peaceful state until he heard crying from the living room. He quickly got up and ran into the living room to find his youngest son crying and a red mark on his face, and Leonardo and Donatello comforting him, “What is going on in here!?” He said with a strict worry in his voice. Leonardo stepped aside, looking up at his father “Sensei…” Splinter raised a brow, “Yes, my son?” He kneeled down to tend to his sobbing son, “Will you explain to me how this happened?” “Yes Sensei, I… uhm… we was watching TV and on the TV they was on a beach an’ mikey say dat he waned te go te da beach an’ Raphie say we can’t cus we freaks.” He said nervously, looking to his father. Splinter sighed, looking at his sons “Where is Raphael?” The brothers looked at each other, then Donatello spoke up, “He in da room.” He said pointing towards the stairs to the bedrooms. He sighed once again and looked towards the rooms. He looked towards his sons and pat Michelangelo on the head, “Are you alright, my son?” Mikey sniffled and nodded. Splinter's eyes softened and he looked to the rest of his sons, “I am going to go speak to Raphael.” They looked at him and nodded, making their way back to the pit to play.
Splinter made his way up the stairs towards his red-banded son’s room. He stopped in front of his room, taking a deep breath. He didn’t want to scold his son, but it must be done. He slowly brought his fist up to the door, and knocked, “Leo, go way! I not in da mood!” Splinter sighed, “Raphael, will you please open the door?” He heard sniffling from the other side of the door and sighed “Yea papa, I coming” He heard a click, the lock no doubt, and watched as the door slowly creaked open and presented in front of him the small little turtle. He got on one knee, getting to eye level with his son “May I come in?” He slowly nodded, not looking up, “Yes Papa” He opened the door more, so as to let his father enter. He slowly entered, watching the small turtle jump up on his bed and play with his fingers. “Raphael…” he heard more sniffling, and saw how he gripped tighter as he played with his fingers and started swinging his legs back and forth, he sighed and once again got on one knee, getting eye level with him, “Raphael, Why did you hit your brother?” He looked up into his father’s eyes, “I din’t mean to.” He nodded “Why did you though? What motivated you?” “Matavied?” What made you want to do it?” “He was just thinking lot bout thins we don’t do and I say we don’t do dat. I got mad and I guess get too mad.” “Well,” He said while getting up and settling himself on the bed beside his son, “It’s not bad that your brother wanted to think of things that we can not do, he just wanted to imagine what it would be like. That is not a bad thing.” He heard his son say something under his breath and mumbling. He sighed, trying to think of what to say next, “My son, why do you think we can’t do things like that?” Raph looked up in front of him, “I… Donnie say we not like other people. We freaks!” His gaze hardened with concern and surprise “He said that? He said that you were freaks?” He said ready to get up, preparing to go and scold his second youngest. Raph’s gaze once again hit the floor, “Well, not exactly…” Splinter settled down, taking his place back on the bed beside his son, “Then why do you believe that?” “Well… I… jus we not normal. Oter people don’t have green skin or a shell. They don’t have tree toes or figers. We too difernt.” he said looking down at his hands in front of him. Splinter sighed, putting his hand on the back of his son’s shell. Raphael looked up at him, tears in his eyes, “Raphael, you are not a freak, neither are your brothers. You are different, yes, but that isn’t a bad thing. It means you are special.” He said smiling down at his son as Raphael looked back at him with a smile, “Tanks Papa!” He said hugging him around the neck. He smiled and hugged him back “You are very welcome my son.” He started to get up off of the bed and made his way towards the door, then turned back around looking at his son, “What was all of this over again?” Raphael’s smile faltered as he remembered how it all started, “Te beach…” Splinter gave him a questioning look and Raphael continued “Mikey waned te go te beach.” “Hmm…” Splinter said looking forward and stroking his beard “Thank you, my son.” He said walking away, contemplating what his next move would be. He walked back into the living room to find his sons playing and Raphael join them and apologize to his younger brother. He watched as they made amends and a thought came to him, albeit, it may take him a while to put his plan into effect. He went back into the Dojo to meditate and think of his idea, surely this would make his sons happy.
*****
Over the next couple of weeks, Splinter searched for supplies. He almost had all of the things he needed, but needed one more thing. “Leonardo, I would like to ask of you to once again look after your brothers. I must go out to look for supplies, do you understand my son?” He said while on one knee, looking his son in the eyes, “Yes, Sensei! I unersand!” He got up, and grabbed his backpack, “Thank you, my son.” He said before he left.
He wasn’t able to find the item that he needed by scavenging, so he had no other choice but to go out to the surface. He put his hood up and climbed up the ladder to the manhole. He slowly and cautiously opened the manhole cover and looked around, making sure the coast was clear. He saw a few people walk by and then got out once no one was around. He made his way towards the sidewalk, being especially cautious since it was daylight.
He slowly and as normally as he could made his way towards the closest store. He walked in and heard the little bell ring. He looked around, slowly pulling his hood more around his face. The person at the front was busy, ‘Good’ he thought as he made his way through the store. He got the items he needed and made his way towards the front. Thankfully the person at the front was still busy and there was almost no one else in the store, so using his ninja stealth, he swiftly made his way to the front, throwing the money on the counter and exiting the store.
Splinter made his way back to the manhole cover, wanting badly to go back underground and out of the summer heat in his thick Kimono. He slowly and stealthily made his way back towards the manhole and successfully got back underground without being noticed. Once his feet hit the ground, he let out a relieved sigh and made his way back to his home, praying that his sons hadn’t destroyed their home.
Once he entered, he was welcomed by his sons running up and gathering around him, “Daddy! Your back home!” Michelangelo said, tugging on his father's Kimono, wanting to be picked up. “Yes, my son! I am happy that you are all safe!” He said picking up his youngest, setting down his bag, and making his way towards the kitchen, “Now, who is hungry?” His sons followed him into the kitchen, cheering. Splinter smiled, taking one last glance at his bag, hoping that his sons would like the surprise that he was working on.
After dinner, Splinter was able to get them all calmed down enough to take their baths, albeit he was still covered from head to toe in water. He then put them in their pajamas, read them bedtime stories, and tucked them all in. Now was the time. His sons were asleep, he could start on the project that would hopefully make his sons very happy.
*****
The next morning, the four terrapins were awoken by their father, later than usual. “Wus goig on, Sensei? Is dere something wrong?” Leonardo said sleepily as he got up. “Yea, Papa? You gots us up lader dan usual? Do we still gots training?” Raphael said whilst he put on his wraps. “No my son there is nothing wrong.” Splinter said. Picking up the concern and confusion in his son’s voice, “And We are skipping training today, Raphael. We are taking a break for today.” They both woke up at the mention of skipping practice. Finally a relaxation day!
As their father lead them out of their room, Michelangelo came running around the corner excitedly, “GUYS! YOUS GOTTA COME TO TE PIT!!!” They both looked at each other in confusion as Donatello also started to round the corner, more calmly than his younger brother. He looked at them and motioned for them to follow him, “Coe on, you gus!” The two others followed the overly enthusiastic Michelangelo and calm Donatello with Splinter following behind, his hands behind his back and a small smile on his lips.
Upon entering the main area, was much sunlight. The four shielded their eyes so as to adjust to bright light, almost foreign to them. They all looked ahead as their eyes widened in surprise and excitement. They all gasped and looked at the scene set up in front of them. In front of the little pool in front of the dojo was a small, what seemed to be a beach area. There was a little background of a beach, which splinter had asked them to draw. He had just told them it was for their schooling, but in reality, for his little summer surprise for his children. In the small pool were two floaties and a beach ball, Raphael’s small turtle pet, Spike, swimming around in the pool. Around the pool was what seemed to be sand and sand toys, shovels and buckets. There was sunlight emitting from the large hole in the ceiling and little heaters around the area, “Sensei, What is all of this?” Leo said, tugging on his father's kimono. Splinter looked down at him, a smile on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, “Who cares!” Raphael said, running towards the sand, cutting off his father. He closed his mouth and smiled as he watched the other turtles follow behind him.
The rest of the day was spent with fun in the sun, and lots of water fights. Splinter watched as his sons played in the sand with their toys. He smiled as his sons splashed around on the floaties and played with their bath toys in the water. He smiled and laughed when they were trying to play with the large beach ball. It seemed that his sons were very happy all together, the dispute from the day before seemed to have been forgotten, the redness on Michelangelo's head had gone down, and he was playing with his big brother. He was very happy that he had decided to do this for his sons, it was a wonderful scene to see them having fun together. “Daddy! Come play with us!” Michelangelo signaled his father over and Splinter smiled, making his way towards his sons. Today was going to be their beach day, their day.