Splinter watched as the water poured into the bathtub. He focused on the
rising steam as he willed his body to relax. The last few days had
strained his patience nearly to the breaking point; now his neck and
shoulder muscles were a mass of painful knots. This bath was long overdue.
He tossed a muslin bag full of herbs into the tub when the water reached
the halfway point. Splinter inhaled deeply as the sweet scent began to
diffuse through the room.
He smiled ruefully as he untied his kimono. What a shame that he had to resort to ordering his students out of their home so he could have this quiet time. He loved them dearly, but they could be so trying at times. He found himself occasionally wondering how much easier his life would have been had he been blessed with four daughters instead of sons.
He winced in pain as he slid the kimono off his arms and hung it up on a hook. He should never have allowed himself to get so tense. Even his back was feeling tight, he noted as he removed his trousers. Oh well, nothing a good soak in the tub wouldn't cure. Time to relax! He had shut off the water and put his left foot in the water when it occurred to him that a little tea would be quite nice. He sighed and pulled his foot out of the tub. He should have thought of that before. Some tea would be very nice while soaking away his worries. He grabbed a towel off of the rack and wrapped it around his waist, tucking it in so it would stay in place.
Not wanting his bath to cool too much before his return, Splinter walked briskly to the kitchen and quickly set about his tea making. As he waited for the water to boil, it occurred to him that a little snack might be nice as well. He made up a small plate of peanut butter and crackers. The tea was soon ready and he headed for the bathroom, cup and saucer in one hand, and plate in the other.
As he was passing through the living room something caught his eye. Splinter craned his head over the couch slightly for a better look. A magazine was sticking out from under the center cushion. His curiosity piqued he set the dishes down on the end table and leaned over the couch to retrieve the magazine. He frowned when he saw what it was. Hustler. His sons knew better than to leave things like that lying about. Splinter had realized years ago that it was fruitless to lay an absolute ban on pornography in the household, but it was supposed to be kept out of sight at all times. What if April had stopped by and found it?
Intending to dispose of it immediately, he tucked the magazine under his arm. Shaking his head, he popped one of the crackers in his mouth and picked the plates back up. Taking a step towards the bathroom he heard the entrance to the lair opening. He stopped and looked towards the entryway. Who could it be? Surely it was not one of his sons returning already. No, it was April O'Neil.
"Oh hi Splinter! You're just the person I wanted to see!" She paused a little ways away from him, looking slightly puzzled by his appearance. "Oh. Are you in the middle of something?"
He wanted to answer, but he hated speaking with his mouth full, so instead he gestured with the plate to convey the idea that something was in his mouth. To his dismay, the magazine slipped out from under his arm and fell open at his feet. April immediately stepped forward and knelt down to retrieve it. "Here, let me get that for you."
He tried to speak, but the cracker crumbs and peanut butter coating the inside of his mouth thwarted his effort. April let out a shocked cry, "Splinter!" Her hand had stopped just short of the magazine, and she now looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and accusation on her face.
Splinter's mind raced, "Why couldn't it have been a Playboy sticking out of the couch? At least that could have fallen open to an article." His eyes flicked from her stunned expression to the pictorial featuring one woman and three men doing something he really didn't care to imagine.
He tried to swallow so he could verbally defend himself against her accusing stare. Damn crackers. His tail flicked in annoyance. Before he realized what was happening, the towel had slid off his hips and landed on the floor. April's gaze shifted downwards when the towel fell, and remained on the previously covered portion of his anatomy just inches from her face.
He froze when he felt the towel fall. His eyes closed automatically, as if to deny the reality of what was happening. At least it couldn't get any worse. Then he heard the door open and a familiar voice, "I just forgot my-nevermindbye!"
Splinter's eyes flew open just in time to see Michaelangelo slamming the door behind him. April's reverie was also broken by the noise, and she turned towards the front entrance. He took advantage of her distraction, and quickly set the dishes down. He bent over and snatched up the magazine and towel. Turning away from April, he tossed the magazine onto the couch and reapplied the towel. He heard April stand, "Maybe I should go," her voice wavered slightly.
He coughed and cleared his throat, "Just a moment." Splinter tucked the towel back into place once more. He grabbed the tea and took a quick sip to wash down the last of the offending crumbs. When he turned back towards April, he found her to be blushing a brilliant shade of pink and several paces closer to the door. "Please accept my apologies for what has just happened. I only wanted to have a nice relaxing evening."
She interrupted his explanation, "No. I don't want to know. What you do with your time is your business. Sorry, I uh, interrupted." As she spoke she covered the last few steps to the door.
"But," Splinter stuttered, "It's not my magazine!" He was too late, she had already slipped out the door. His shoulders slumped. Sighing dejectedly, he headed off to finally take his bath.
He smiled ruefully as he untied his kimono. What a shame that he had to resort to ordering his students out of their home so he could have this quiet time. He loved them dearly, but they could be so trying at times. He found himself occasionally wondering how much easier his life would have been had he been blessed with four daughters instead of sons.
He winced in pain as he slid the kimono off his arms and hung it up on a hook. He should never have allowed himself to get so tense. Even his back was feeling tight, he noted as he removed his trousers. Oh well, nothing a good soak in the tub wouldn't cure. Time to relax! He had shut off the water and put his left foot in the water when it occurred to him that a little tea would be quite nice. He sighed and pulled his foot out of the tub. He should have thought of that before. Some tea would be very nice while soaking away his worries. He grabbed a towel off of the rack and wrapped it around his waist, tucking it in so it would stay in place.
Not wanting his bath to cool too much before his return, Splinter walked briskly to the kitchen and quickly set about his tea making. As he waited for the water to boil, it occurred to him that a little snack might be nice as well. He made up a small plate of peanut butter and crackers. The tea was soon ready and he headed for the bathroom, cup and saucer in one hand, and plate in the other.
As he was passing through the living room something caught his eye. Splinter craned his head over the couch slightly for a better look. A magazine was sticking out from under the center cushion. His curiosity piqued he set the dishes down on the end table and leaned over the couch to retrieve the magazine. He frowned when he saw what it was. Hustler. His sons knew better than to leave things like that lying about. Splinter had realized years ago that it was fruitless to lay an absolute ban on pornography in the household, but it was supposed to be kept out of sight at all times. What if April had stopped by and found it?
Intending to dispose of it immediately, he tucked the magazine under his arm. Shaking his head, he popped one of the crackers in his mouth and picked the plates back up. Taking a step towards the bathroom he heard the entrance to the lair opening. He stopped and looked towards the entryway. Who could it be? Surely it was not one of his sons returning already. No, it was April O'Neil.
"Oh hi Splinter! You're just the person I wanted to see!" She paused a little ways away from him, looking slightly puzzled by his appearance. "Oh. Are you in the middle of something?"
He wanted to answer, but he hated speaking with his mouth full, so instead he gestured with the plate to convey the idea that something was in his mouth. To his dismay, the magazine slipped out from under his arm and fell open at his feet. April immediately stepped forward and knelt down to retrieve it. "Here, let me get that for you."
He tried to speak, but the cracker crumbs and peanut butter coating the inside of his mouth thwarted his effort. April let out a shocked cry, "Splinter!" Her hand had stopped just short of the magazine, and she now looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and accusation on her face.
Splinter's mind raced, "Why couldn't it have been a Playboy sticking out of the couch? At least that could have fallen open to an article." His eyes flicked from her stunned expression to the pictorial featuring one woman and three men doing something he really didn't care to imagine.
He tried to swallow so he could verbally defend himself against her accusing stare. Damn crackers. His tail flicked in annoyance. Before he realized what was happening, the towel had slid off his hips and landed on the floor. April's gaze shifted downwards when the towel fell, and remained on the previously covered portion of his anatomy just inches from her face.
He froze when he felt the towel fall. His eyes closed automatically, as if to deny the reality of what was happening. At least it couldn't get any worse. Then he heard the door open and a familiar voice, "I just forgot my-nevermindbye!"
Splinter's eyes flew open just in time to see Michaelangelo slamming the door behind him. April's reverie was also broken by the noise, and she turned towards the front entrance. He took advantage of her distraction, and quickly set the dishes down. He bent over and snatched up the magazine and towel. Turning away from April, he tossed the magazine onto the couch and reapplied the towel. He heard April stand, "Maybe I should go," her voice wavered slightly.
He coughed and cleared his throat, "Just a moment." Splinter tucked the towel back into place once more. He grabbed the tea and took a quick sip to wash down the last of the offending crumbs. When he turned back towards April, he found her to be blushing a brilliant shade of pink and several paces closer to the door. "Please accept my apologies for what has just happened. I only wanted to have a nice relaxing evening."
She interrupted his explanation, "No. I don't want to know. What you do with your time is your business. Sorry, I uh, interrupted." As she spoke she covered the last few steps to the door.
"But," Splinter stuttered, "It's not my magazine!" He was too late, she had already slipped out the door. His shoulders slumped. Sighing dejectedly, he headed off to finally take his bath.