The three remaining brothers thought Mikey's behavior wasn't so important because they were enjoying not having to endure the annoying reminders of their baby brother. They could already carry out all their activities without being afraid of hearing out of nowhere Mikey's shrill voice interrupting them.
"Leonardo, I have to speak with you." Master Splinter told his oldest, but it didn't sound like a request but as an order.
"I'm here, Sensei," Leonardo said, knocking on Splinter's door after he had picked up the breakfast dishes to wash them. Their baby brother didn't show up for breakfast even though his father had called him.
"Come in." The young leader seated before his old father.
"Have you seen Michelangelo, Leonardo?" Splinter asked.
"I saw him last night when we were training, Master. He spent the rest of the night locked up in his room." the eldest answered, realizing it had already been a long time since Mikey was behaving like that.
"You must apologize to your brother, Leonardo, all of you."
"I didn't do anything, Sensei, and neither did Donnie." the turtle in blue defended himself, but his father stared at his son when he heard him say that.
"If my memory doesn't betray me, you and Donatello laughed too, Leonardo."
Looking back, the eldest turtle knew his father was right; he lowered his head in shame. "You are right, Master Splinter. I'm sorry. I will go get the others to apologize to Mikey."
"Good, my son, you know well your brother is much affected when something quite serious happens to him. Do the right thing because it's impossible for me to see you separated any longer."
The turtle in blue nodded, got out of his father's room, and sought out the others. They were watching TV.
Leonardo got close to the small table in front of the couch, took the remote, and turned the TV off.
"HEY! I was watching that!" his hot-headed brother complained, and Donatello would have done the same, but he was drinking a cup of coffee, but the turtle in purple also looked at Leonardo with a frown.
"We have to apologize to Mikey, guys."
"He will get over it, Fearless. His tantrum has lasted longer because I took him by surprise, that's all. Don't worry."
"Besides, I would like to enjoy a little longer this peace and tranquility we haven't had in a long time," Donatello explained to his big brother.
"You are SO right, brainiac!" Raphael smiled broadly. "Many times I thought the goofball was behaving like a freaking junkie, a one who couldn't get his dose in a long time."
"Or like a crazy person without his medication!" Donnie added, laughing too.
"I understand what you are saying, guys, because me too, many times, was about to give him a big zap in the head, he was so annoying, but now, we have to understand how he is feeling. We ruined his party, the special day he was hoping for. We must apologize!"
"To hell with it, I don't wanna do that!"
"Show more respect, Raph!" the leader chided him.
"Respect my shell, Fearless! Give me a break, I'm truly enjoying this peace, allow us to wait a little longer."
"You will do it immediately, Raphael!" Splinter's voice was heard behind them. He had no choice but to go upstairs to Mikey's room alongside the others.
A few minutes later, everyone was in front of Mikey's bedroom door. Leonardo took the initiative to knock on the door. Mikey didn't answer, so Leonardo decided to enter accompanied by the others.
Mikey was lying on his bed but didn't even deign to look at his brothers; he just turned to the wall, so he didn't have to see them.
"Mikey…" Leonardo began to talk, but Mikey interrupted him.
"Yeah, yeah, I forgive you, now beat it."
"Mission accomplished, now let's go," Raphael exclaimed, happy not to have to give a whole speech about being sorry; that was something that really annoyed him.
"You are not going anywhere." His big brother warned him.
"Mikey…" Donatello tried to get close to his baby brother, but Mikey quickly rose from his bed and faced his brother in purple, pushing him back.
"You already got what you wanted, don't you!? A jester to mock on my special day! I hope those laughs were worth it because they cost a lot, all my happiness and the love I had for you all, and I already told you you have my forgiveness. You no longer have to come to boast your hypocrisy trying to convince me that you care for me. And in case you haven't understood, I told you to get the hell out of my room!"
While Mikey was yelling at them, his eyes shed several tears not only of sadness, but also of anger, that matched his frown and his clenched fists. The result was that a pang of heavy guilt began to appear in the minds and hearts of his brothers.
Mikey said no more; he let himself fall on his bed, fully ignoring them.
But as usual, Raphael's personality was just waiting for someone to start yelling to start a fight. "Hey! We have come to offer you an apology, and you treat us with scorn, knucklehead. It's great for you to make fun of others and play jokes on them, but when you are the target of the joke you began to behave like a big baby!"
"Raph…" Leonardo tried to help his brother in red to calm down.
"Not anymore, Fearless. I'm sick of having to do this every time the 'baby' of the family throws a tantrum, we have to put up with his tomfoolery and we can´t get even!"
"But Mikey's jokes never hurt or humiliate us, Raph…" Donatello replied.
Seeing that Michelangelo didn't even move, Leonardo approached Mikey's bed and sat on the edge, as close to Mikey as he could.
"Mikey, I'm really sorry I laughed. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness for ruining the day you had been waiting for so long. I know I took away all the fun you expected to enjoy and your happiness too, not to mention the joy you wanted to share with all of us. That´s why I want to make it up to you the way you choose."
"Me too, Mikey." the smartest added. Donnie kicked his hot-headed brother's leg slightly to make him say something.
"Yeah… me too..." Raphael said reluctantly, rolling his eyes, taking advantage that his brother couldn't see him.
A few minutes in complete silence passed before Mikey said, "It's not necessary, I know you have come because Master Splinter ordered you to. Now I know you don't love me as much as I love you, that's why you didn't care to ruin my birthday, the day I had waited for for so long… It was just another day for you…"
After hearing that, Raphael was ready to come down on Mikey, but Donatello stopped him from doing it. Leonardo lowered his head and said: "You are right, Mikey, it was just another day."
Those words made the heart of the youngest turtle ache. He had said it just to make them feel more guilty to forgive them after they begged him a little more, but he never thought he would obtain confirmation about the thought he feared that might be real. Without holding back, Mikey began to sob without caring whether the others could make fun of him.
Raphael and Donatello couldn't believe what Leonardo had said, and they were looking at him surprised; and a little angry. The oldest turtle went on.
"Of course, it is another day, but is another which is part of a long chain, little brother. I don't why, but you are convinced that you only have one day to celebrate your presence in the world. You are dead wrong. In my case, since I became aware I was lucky to have three little brothers, I have celebrated every day being able to share my time, my happiness, my existence, and the fun with each of you, especially you, Mikey."
"For me, every day is a day for celebration because you exist, my little and mischievous baby brother. I get up early to train for many reasons. One of them is because I love to be a ninja, I love everything our beloved father has taught us, and mostly because I can get better every day thanks to you. You make our existence more bearable. All your smiles, your enthusiasm, and your big love manage to erase all our stress, the tiredness as if by magic."
"It has been a big mistake on my part not to tell you with words I love you dearly, Mikey. I know I show you my love every time I smile when you prepare our meals; when I share my bed with you when you are scared as a result of a nightmare and you can´t sleep so you come to me to feel safe. I can assure you that not a single day goes by without feeling grateful for your birth, for your presence in my life." Leo finished.
"Leo is right, Mikey. I also regret not telling you every day, but I feel the same. Whenever I have to fix your skateboard, or I retrieve from the garbage dump a broken video console, I know I will have the reward for my efforts, a tight hug from you." Donatello added, smiling too.
"Damn it! I hate corny stuff," Raphael said, "but Leo is right… If it weren't for you, our family environment wouldn't be so joyful. I think that rage I have fought so hard to vanish would have consumed me a long time ago. I know I'm gonna regret this…" Raphael gulped, "but thank you for choosing me most of the times to play your jokes on. You should know how much it helps me to relax, that way I can find the time to think things twice to be a better brother."
"Thank you so much for existing, Mikey!" They all said in unison after looking at their baby brother with eyes full of gratitude.
The youngest turtle turned around to see all the faces which were giving him smiles full of tenderness and gratitude. Mikey smiled too. His heart had got the best present of his life.
"Then why did you laugh at me, guys?" The prankster had to ask to erase the last doubt in his heart.
"Because we aren't perfect, Mikey!" Leo answered.
"And you aren't either, goofball!" Raphael told him smiling.
"I'm afraid Raphael is right," Donnie said, "the last two months you managed to erase all my enthusiasm for reminding me every second the date for your birthday party was near, but of course, that doesn't justify my laugh," Donnie said, feeling very ashamed.
"Then I offer an apology too." Mikey, free at last from sadness, hugged Leonardo.
A delightful aroma of a cake baking in the oven came from the kitchen downstairs, the old father was preparing another cake for his sons.
"See what we mean, Mikey?" Leonardo smiled at him. "Every day is a celebration of your birth, let's go, we have to taste that delicious cake."
"Yeah, let's go! I would really love a piggyback ride, Raphie."
"Don't push it, Mike…" Raphael warned him, but Mikey looked at him with big sad eyes.
"Damn! Okay, get on…"
Mikey on Raph's back, alongside Leo and Donnie, was the same as before, the kind and sweet turtle he had always been. But then, he had got the best birthday gift of all times: the knowledge that he would always be one of the most important part of a special family that will love and care for him until his last breath. His brothers and his father would be grateful every day of their lives for being the best blessing for them.
Thanks to Rose Black Dragon for helping write this. Just a short story this is. Hope it was enjoyed.