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Splinter sighed as he walked through the newly made lair. The days had run short and gotten far colder. His hands ran over the bricks that made up his home, they were almost ice under his palm.
The only good thing about the winter is that the pipes would freeze up ever so slightly around this time or year. Which would stop the seemingly perpetual dripping, through the coldest months at least. Splinter wanted to fix the pipes, he really truly did, yet there was always the problem of breaking the pipes. Which truly wasn't worth it in the end as it might flood their lair.
He lifted the items that he had found closer to his chest. Of course, the items he found were heavy but he needed his free hand. As trying to navigate the navigate the sewer without his hands was exceedingly difficult.
His injured ear flicked in annoyance at what he had found. He had been out for hours and the haul was so meager. Of course, that was to be expected during the winter.
There was so many animals that were trying to survive, just like himself and his sons. Splinter sighed as he was made painfully aware of the hunger that sat in the bottom of his stomach. It clawed up through his gut as if it was trying to eat him from the inside up.
The usual spots where he found his food where depleted from the cold and desperation of other animals. So unfortunately, he had to scrounge through the trash cans behind the supermarket.
He had a bit of food, the grating New York cold had preserved the meat and kept it from rotting. That was something that Splinter was infinitely grateful for. He put those items in the little freezer that he had found behind a furniture store.
Next was a...wilted head of cabbage. Now, he had to figure out something warm to put in his Sons stomachs to help them stave off the cold. He stood in the kitchen for a minute before making a quick decision.
He had some ground beef and a head of cabbage. Splinter had a small smile on his face. Cabbage soup, it was easy to make, just a head of cut up cabbage and a tube of meat.
Splinter cut open the tube of meat, smelling it to make sure it wasn't rotten.
He hummed a old tune as he started to brown the meat. Their Stove was old and rumbled loudly. Splinter hated using it during the summers but in the winter it was a God send.
The stove always filled their kitchen with heat. When it was cold the heat was like a refresher, something to quell the bone deep cold that settled into his old bones.
Once all the meat was brown Splinter dumped it into the big pot that he had found under a bridge. The pot was old and Splinter had to patch some cracks on it, but it was reliable and did its job.
While the meat sat for a few more minutes Splinter chopped up the lettuce, quickly. His skill lent itself for that. The juices coated his hands and reminded him to wash them after he was done.
Wash his hands. That was something he always found himself doing now. It was part of living in the sewers, so many dirty things to get his hands on.
Splinter poured the cabbage into the pot. The sound of the vegetables hitting the bottom of the pot ran out through the kitchen.Satisfyed by the amount of cabbage he walked over to his sink.
This was the fixture he was the most thankful for. It was the first installment that he had gotten. Fresh, clean water was a godsend. Even before the Refrigerator and the stove, this made him feel a little more....human.
Splinter sighed, moments like this were melancholy. Times when he felt more human than animal. The sentiment was something that he held onto dearly every time.he was graced with it.
Humanity...it's the only thing that separated him from his smaller counterparts. He could always hear them, especially this time of year. As Splinter did his best to keep the lair warm, and his sons had a habit of dropping food during meal times.
He covered the pot as the contents began to boil. Splinter smiled as he took a step back. It would be done in the hour and they could eat on it for a week, at least. His family wouldn't go hungry this week.
That was all he could ask for.
The only noise that could be heard in the kitchen, other than the groaning of the pipes, was the boiling of the soup. Splinter wished that they had some spices. Even if he just had some salt or pepper.
His sons would probably like their food more if it wasn't completely bland. He would have to check around the supermarket when it got warmer.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by little footsteps pattering through the lair. Splinter turned to face the doorways just in time to see Donatello standing in the doorway. He looked at Splinter inquisitivly and then over to the pot.
"It is late, Donatello, what are you doing awake?" Splinter asked softly.
Donnie looked at him while rubbing his eyes. "I couldn't sleep" the young turtle said, cutting himself off with a yawn. "Well, then, I am making some breakfast for us. Would you like to help?" Splinter said.
There wasn't much left to do, just stir the soup every now and then to ensure the meat didn't stick to the bottom of the pot. It was quiet and boring, which should put his son back to sleep.
Donnie nodded, shuffling into the kitchen. "What are you making?" He asked not yet tall enough to see the contents of the pot. "Cabbage soup," Splinter said while moving to stand beside his son.
"Cabbage soup? What's in it, beside Cabbage" Donnie asked his tone dripping with curiosity. He stood on his tip toes with his hands on the very edge of the stove.
"Careful Donatello, it's hot....but to answer your question it is nothing but meat, cabbage, and water." Splinter said.
"Can I get up?"
"Get up on the counter?" Splinter asked, he had never let them do that before.
He looked down at his son dubiously for a minute. Usually he would say no, but right now, what would it truly hurt to let his Son up on the counter. His other sons weren't awake to try and get up there as well.
"I suppose Donatello, it will be our secret, yes." Splinter said before grabbing his son under the armpits and lifting him onto the counter. "Now, you must be careful. The stove is extremely hot, and I will not be able to treat a burn of that severity" Splinter said his tone not leaving no room for defiance.
Donnie nodded, peeking over the top of the pot. There were little chunks of meat rolling around with strips of paper like cabbage. The water was slightly oily from the meat, and slightly white from the cabbage. It mixed, making the broth.
There was silence. As Donatello leaned as close to the pot as he could without falling in. Then, With a firm hand Splinter pushed the boy back just a little bit. "Careful," Splinter warned. The boy nodded, still captivated by the boiling pot.
Tiredness creeped at the edge of the small turtle's vision as he yawned. Splinter smiled down at his son, he was very clearly exhausted. Donatello wouldn't be awake for to much longer, he was clearly fighting off sleep.
That was a concerning trait his son had picked up. Splinter didn't know where he had got it from. He hoped that Donatello would grow out of it, like many small children with sleep issues did but he doubted it. Perhaps it was a curse of his son's intelligence. Splinter couldn't be quite sure.
"Why does it boil" Donatello asked.
"What?"
"Water, why does water boil?"
"Well, when the water heats to a certain point the molecules get excited and start to move rather fast" Splinter remembered this lesson faintly. It was one of the few lessons he remembered from his own schooling.
Donnie looked at the pot for a minute, considering what Splintsr said. Molecules, he had read about them a couple times. They always intrested him. He had never truly recognized a time that they were in action before. He yawned again.
"You are free to retire when ever you want, Donatello" Splinter said. Donatello looked up at him with his hooded eyes. "No, It's ok..I'm not tired"
"Is that so?"
Splinter moved over and took the lid off the pot. It should be about done that this point. Steam rolled out over the top and up to the ventilation hood.
He looked over to see Donnie leaning against the wall. The boys eyes were slowly closing as he tried his best to stop it. Splinter knew that he was seconds away from falling asleep.
Splinter moved the pot off the heat to the back of the stove before covering it again. "Is it done" the terrapin asked. "Yes Donatello, it is. There will be food in the morning." Splinter couldn't help but frown at the excitement that shone through his son's tiredness.
Food was always difficult for them to find regardless of the season, and the grating cold of the winter didn't help. Being cold and hungry wasn't a pleasurable experience. Splinter knew that and he wished that he could provide them with something better.
Perhaps in a different world, they could go to the store instead of rifling behind it, and hoping that whatever they could get wasn't rotten. The boys could get there possessions brand new as opposed to old and used. There was nothing wrong with second hand, but the best thing Splinter was able to find on his last trip to the surface was a model car with the front wheel missing.
The boys didn't much care about the missing wheel. It was as good as a new car to them, and that was something that Splinter was infinitely grateful for. Of course, they didn't know anything differnet but the point still stood.
Splinter was knocked out of his thoughts by a quiet snoring. It was hardly audible but worked all the same. Splinter smiled as he turned his attention to his son. Donatello had fallen asleep, just as he predicted. His head had leaned against the rough material of the wall. Donatello was curled slightly in on himself, his arm resting on his knee while the other one lay limp at his side.
Splinter scooped the boy up into his arms, holding him close to his chest. Before turning off the stove with one hand, making sure to not wake Donatello with the movement.
He looked so very peaceful when he slept. Donatello was intelligent, smart beyond his years and always had his face scrunched up in thought. As he worked on his lessons or on whatever project he had picked up for the day.
Splinter set Donatello in his bed gently, careful not to wake him up. Luckily, the transfer was simple. The turtle always fought against sleep, but was almost impossible to awake when he did finally fall asleep.
Splinter pulled the covers up over Donatello gently. The blankets were old and ratty, found in some random dumpster. He had done his best to clean the purple blanket, but there were some stains that were far to stubborn.
Splinter stood tall, looking down on his son. A sense of fondness poured into his heart. Part of him wanted to keep his sons down here forever. Protect them from the dangers the surface carried, but he knew that he couldn't. Someday their curiosity would over come them. Someday the brutality of the world would hit them and Splinter wouldn't be able to protect his sons from it.
All Splinter could do was prepare them for it to the best of his ability. That wouldn't be a hard task in itself. His boys were gifted and were already almost ready to start practicing with legitimate weapons.
The world was gonna be tough on them, but Splinter would make sure that they were stronger, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. His sons were safe in bed, were the world couldn't touch them.
Splinter would prolong the inevitable as long as possible, even if it was a fool's errand. Anything to keep those boys safe, keep them safe until the were ready.
Ready for whatever the surface might try and throw at them.