Master Splinter sat underneath the great tree in the training room, his eyes closed in meditation. Thin streams of evening sunlight filtered in through the storm drain above. Ever since he had lost Karai, so quickly after gaining her back into his life, he had grown extremely quiet.
Mikey had been watching him for a few days now as Master Splinter slowly became more distant from him and his brothers. Training had practically come to a standstill. Their drills were executed halfheartedly and today Sensei had dismissed them completely, apparently uninterested in the session. He had told them to practice on their own, but that dissolved soon into the brothers doing their own thing about the lair.
Out in the living room, Mikey sat on the sunken bench that served as a couch. The television was on a low volume, playing some afternoon TV game show. His brothers weren't around at the moment. Leo and Raph were off somewhere with Casey, and Donnie, as always, was in his lab. Occasionally a muffled bang could be heard which Mikey assumed was Donnie working on the mecha bot he had designed.
Mikey sighed. The stillness of the lair was starting to get to him. It wasn't like Master Splinter was a loud person to begin with, but he was so withdrawn. The change could be felt in the atmosphere of their home. It bothered him to see Master Splinter so visibly upset. He wanted to do something to help, but lately their search for Karai had come up with nothing. Leo was even starting to get slightly discouraged with it.
What could Mikey do though? It seemed like everything they attempted only set them two steps backwards. Mikey wasn't going to give up though. Determined, Mikey got up off the couch and disappeared inside of the kitchen.
He took the battered kettle from the stove, filled it up with water, and set it to boil. Then he fished through the cabinets and grabbed a serving tray and the tea set Sensei liked to use the most. Finally he grabbed the green tea from above the stove, placing tea leaves in an infuser in the small tea pot.
He clicked the gas stove off so the kettle didn't whistle, and poured the hot water carefully into the clay pot. The leaves were allowed to steep for a few minutes. Mikey took the round tea cups he knew Sensei loved, as they were traditional Japanese styled cups. He placed them stacked, upside down on the tray so they didn't rattle or slip.
The tea leaves were removed, and Mikey placed the lid over the tea pot. Master Splinter had been in the dojo all day and he hoped this would make him happy, at least for a moment.
Quietly, Mikey walked out of the kitchen and into the dojo. Master Splinter didn't move or acknowledge his presence, but Mikey didn't blame him.
Silently he knelt down in front of Master Splinter, and placed the tray before him. Master Splinter opened his eyes to look at the tray, and then up to Michelangelo. He stood and bowed with a small smile, then turned to leave.
"Wait," Master Splinter called to him.
Mikey turned around to face him again, "Hai, Sensei?"
"Thank you, Michelangelo."
"No problem, Sensei. I thought you could use a little pick-me-up."
Master Splinter nodded slightly, "It is very kind of you. Do you wish to join me?"
"Of course!" Mikey said happily. He sat down on his knees. Master Splinter poured himself and Mikey a cup of tea.
"Thank you again for being so considerate."
They sat quietly sipping at their tea. Mikey wanted to talk to Master Splinter but didn't know where to start.
After a few moments of sitting together, Master Splinter set down his tea cup and looked at his son. "Is something bothering you, Michelangelo?"
"Me? No, not really," Mikey stammered out quickly. Master Splinter only waited for him to continue. "Well…sort of, I guess." Sensei didn't say anything, his expression only urging for Mikey to continue. Mikey took a small sip of tea and pressed on, "I'm worried…about you, Sensei."
"Me?" Master Splinter seemed surprised.
"Yeah," Mikey nodded solemnly. "You've become distant lately, and I'm just concerned is all."
Master Splinter remained quiet, contemplating what Michelangelo had said to him. But Mikey took it as he had said something wrong, and hurriedly tried to cover his words.
"Wait, I mean I understand. You're feeling hurt and you need time to get things worked out. Right? Or you know whatever else you might need. It's not like I don't get it…because I totally do, it's just," Mikey's sentence tapered off, and Master Splinter smiled at him.
"Michelangelo," He started. "It is all right. I have to apologize. Really I did not mean to distance myself from you or your brothers."
"It's okay, Sensei," Mikey shrugged. "Karai is you daughter, so we totally get why you've been upset."
"She is my daughter, and I do miss her. It saddens me greatly that she has been lost to me once again. However you are also my son, and I love and cherish you very much. Nothing will change that."
Mikey beamed, "I love you too, Sensei!"
"Uh, what's going on in here?" Raph appeared in the doorway with Leo standing beside him.
Leo glared at Raph for intruding, "I think he means to say excuse us for intruding."
"Oh, uh…yeah, sorry," Raph mumbled.
"We were just having a discussion, my sons," Master Splinter explained. "You were not intruding at all. Would you like to join us for tea?"
"Yes!" Leo said enthusiastically. He came and sat down next to Mikey.
"I guess I'll go grab the brainiac from his lab," Raph said and turned to retrieve Donnie.
As they waited for the two to return, Master Splinter filled three more cups with the green tea. He passed one to Leo, who took it with a smile. Raph and Donnie, with his welding goggles still on his head, entered the Dojo shortly afterwards. Raph sat down on the other side of Mikey, and Donnie beside Raph. Master Splinter handed them each a cup of tea.
"Sensei," Mikey fidgeted with the cup in his hands after a few peaceful moments of silence.
"Yes?"
"You know we'll always be here for you, right?" He looked at his brothers to see that they were nodding in agreement.
"I do," Master Splinter replied. "And I will always be here for all of you too."
Just a short little fluff piece that I've been thinking about lately. I feel like Mikey would be the first one to reach out to Master Splinter after he lost Karai again. He's just a sweetheart.