The lair...Was in almost chaos as the boys who lived in it tried their best to get things in order.
"MIKEY! Where's the cooler!?"
"Donnie's lab! He got the shaved ice machine to work so he's packing it in!"
"Then what's LEO doing!?"
"Helping LH hook up the new HD TV the huge one with the surround sound." He replied without missing a beat taking out two homemade pizza's from the oven, removing from the home made deep fry rig Donatello had made the week prior a large mess of chicken wings as he quickly tossed them in a mix of hot sauce and butter with garlic. "How are we on time?"
Raph checked the time and heaved a sigh of relief. "Enough time..Thank GOD April is taking Casey to that anger management class so he can't come to the lair..I do NOT want him effing this up."
"Like last year?" Mikey drawled his sixteen year old mind recalling when this event was ruined by the Jones man invading their territory.
"Yep." Raph merely said taking out two 24 packs of soda's some with caffeine some without as Donnie lugged out a cooler filled partially with said shaved ice as he began to help his brother with it. "Leatherhead! Leo! How's it coming!?" He called into the living room.
"We finally finished." Leo heaved a sigh of relief whilst Leatherhead looked somewhat perplexed.
He didn't understand their urgency or setting aside whatever fuedes they had going on with each other at the moment just to watch something on television. "I'm afraid I do not understand this ritual of yours Leonardo." He said as Leo took his place on the couch as his brothers moved over Mikey with the food, Raph and Don with the drinks. The youngest ran back and got a large bowl filled to the brim with pretzels.
Leo shrugged as his siblings squeezed in beside him as they did ever since they began this ritual as children. "We frankly don't know really either..It's just something we do every year." He explained snatching a wing off the platter and taking a rather..Un-Leo like bite.
Donnie shrugged. "Just sit and give it a chance-Wait did Sensei want to-"
"Nope. He got that mini TV with all the recordings of his soaps so we can watch this in peace brainiac." Raph interrupted cracking open a root beer and taking a long swig.
Leatherhead awkwardly got himself situated as Mikey channel surfed til he came across the Discovery Channel halting.
"You guys ready?" The orange banded turtle asked with a large grin.
Much to the gator's surprise his brothers all gave war whoops in return and cheers.
"READY!"
"LET'S DO THIS THING!"
"LIKE REAL MEN!"
What the hell is wrong with them!? Leatherhead thought watching them continue to act like this.
Two people appeared on the screen introducing themselves as the Mythbusters and saying something that would mark the week of television watching that the brothers did every year camping out in the living room for hours with snacks, dinner and drinks as they did ever since they were small.
"I'm Adam."
"And I'm Jaime and you're watching..."
A logo appeared above them.
"SHARK WEEK 2013!"
The guys...Gave all mighty war whoops at this high threeing each other. Leatherhead awkwardly high three'd Michelangelo as he held up a green hand their friend. "Is this what has you all so excited?"
"Yep!" Raph and Don fist bumped in a very..Unlike them manner. Leo let out a belch and did not for once say excuse me.
Mikey clapped his eldest brother on the shoulder. "It's tradition LH."
"A tradition of...?"
They all looked at him like he was an alien.
"OF MANLINESS!" They all chorused before laughing at themselves.
Before they all went utterly quiet as the first show began...
Master Splinter went out to retrieve a piece of cake from the fridge knowing if anything this was the time to take it since Donatello would be so immersed in his and his brother's yearly ritual.
He would allow them one week off of training if it meant he could enjoy peace, quiet, no brothers fighting and most importantly...
Getting cake.
As the wise old rat settled himself infront of the TV set Donatello had plugged in for him he grinned turning the sound back on.
"I'm Adam and he's Jaime and your watching Shark Week 2013!"
Even Master Splinter had to admit...
When it came to events...
Shark Week had to be one of the most important at least in his family's household.
The image of a great white shark eating a seal as cheers errupted from the living room alerted him of one thing.
He could safely eat two slices of cake and enjoy the event just as his son's did.
As long as they don't commit to living every week like it's Shark Week.
/
Monday Casey Jones showed up in the middle of the commercial break as the guys bustled about hurrying to replenish snacks or take care of something before returning to their marathon.
Mikey...Snuck Master Splinter more cake and some ice cream this time having found out when he heard an uncharacteristically loud CHEER of all things coming from his sensei's room to find him watching the Mythbusters Shark Bite Special.
"Aw come on you bozo's doing that stupid Discovery Channel thing-MMMPH." His mouth was covered by Leatherhead's large hand as the human was silenced.
"Do not disrespect their tradition Mr. Jones...As odd as it is I find I too enjoy this event so kindly respect it."
Casey pulled away. "Aw come on you watch a bunch of egg heads talk about the sciency facts of sharks and I bet'cha you all don't even know anything about 'em!"
Mikey walked up to Casey and smirked. "Sharks have two penises."
"Great whites got retractable jaws." Raph said returning to the livingroom with a platter of chicken wings stabbing one with his sai and taking a rather undignified bite.
Donnie and Leo leapt over the couch squabbling briefly for the armrest. "The Shedd Aquarium employee's trained their sharks to come when called." Leo said as Don won the armrest.
"And the Megalodon was the biggest baddest shark to ever live."
Casey...Was a bit worried now considering that they all just spouted shark facts at him.
"Wait...Sharks have two of WHAT?"
"Sharks are more man then you'll ever be Casey." Raph snorted.
The man growled and squeezed in next to Raph. "That's it lemme see what this Shark Week is all about."
Secretly the guys all knew...Casey had become one of them.
By the time the evening was over the living room was a mess, Casey knew a lot more about sharks then he ever cared to take to knowledge..
And he also decided valuing his life to never get between Leo and his chicken wings...Ever again.
"I'll just um watch the rest of dis with April kay?" He said before fleeing the lair.
"Thank you for sharing the event with me but I believe I'll be enjoying the rest in my own lair as well. It was much appreciated." Leatherhead said graciously...Flicking a slice of pizza of his tail as Klunk the turtles pet cat munched on it with gusto. "Have a good evening."
"Bye."
"See ya."
"Thanks for coming."
"Go Shark Week!"
After Leatherhead left the guys snickered amongst themselves.
"Think we made a life long fan outta him?"
"Raph...A scientist such as LH would appreciate the science of studying sharks..." Donnie began but clammed up as Air Jaws came back on.
As the iconic image of sharks eating prey out of the air began...The brothers secretly all knew they watched it not just for the sharks or for the 'manliness' that was Shark Week.
It was because ever since they were young children they enjoyed Shark Week together as a family...As brothers.
It helped strengthen their bond as they let themselves loose from training, decent diets and in Donnie's case driving himself mad with work and Leo giving up on manners for this one week of brotherhood.
The week of Sharks.
"Hey guys...This is gonna be the best shark week ever."
"You said that last year Mikey." Raph chuckled playfully bopping his sibling in the head.
"Well I mean this this time." He grinned.
Leo and Don chuckled toasting cold root beers as they continued...They'd clean up late in the night when Raph and Mikey eventually buzzed out and the paid programming advertisements began.
"Did we record it?" Leo asked briefly.
His brothers looked at him as if he was insane.
"OF COURSE."
"Why wouldn't we!?"
"It's SHARK WEEK man!"
Leo laughed.
"Sorry, sorry."
Moments like these...I'm real glad for quiet times...Because I can't imagine life without our bond...
Thanks Shark Week...For helping keep me and my brothers close.