Rating: G
Warnings: Spoilers for 2k12? *dies laughing*
Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.
Summary: 2k12 turtles. After the Space Arc. 'Feeling lonely and out of sorts, Mikey found himself in the kitchen opening the freezer door. "Hey, Kitty," he greeted with a tired smile.' Mikey is happy to be home and no longer an orphan, really, he promises and yet, something feels off.
A/N: I originally wrote this about 4 years ago for a 'Rat Daddy' contest and for the life of me, I don't remember ever submitting it. I have no idea why. I found it while going through my files searching for a vague idea I'd had a while ago that was never worked on, hoping to use it for the upcoming '13 Days of Halloween' 2020 edition. Well, guess I'm gonna share now. 3 updates from me in one week? Has the world gone insane?
Aaaand speaking of '13 Days of Halloween'
Fandom Announcement! - '13 Days of Halloween' is on again this year! Writers and Artists are welcome. For more information, look for sampsonknight on Deviant Art or tmnt-allstories{dot}tumblr{dot}com
Telling Tales
Sighing excessively loudly, Michelangelo threw back his covers in frustration and rolled out of bed. He didn't know why he couldn't sleep, just that he couldn't and that for some reason he couldn't put his finger on, he was hurting and the feeling was only getting worse the longer he laid there.
Considering the late hour, Mikey was quiet as he edged out of his room and slowly wandered the lair, thinking back over everything that had happened since they arrived back on Earth.
Their victorious homecoming was meant to be special, and truly, it was. They'd been as far from home as they could possibly get, across the far-flung reaches of the universe for six whole months. For Mikey, it had been an awesome experience sure but all throughout, it was tainted by the devastating knowledge of what they'd lost. The six newly orphaned teenagers had lost fathers, sisters and friends... They'd lost their homes and everything they'd ever known but at least they still had each other, along with some new friends they met and even better, a rare chance to undo everything and gain it all back.
But only if they were good enough.
Which they were.
Finally, they made it home again after countless exciting adventures and experiences; they'd beaten their deadliest enemies and regained all they lost, yet each still carried the awful memories of their original losses.
While Leonardo initially asked to explain everything come the morning, by the time Mikey and his brothers arrived home with Splinter, they were all far too wired to sleep.
Six months apart and all they wanted now was to bask in the warmth of their father's presence and love, so they did. The small family sat in the heart of their home under the great tree and nursed hot drinks while eagerly explaining what they'd been through.
However, most times when Mikey excitedly tried to chime in with something to add or proclaim, he was either barely acknowledged or instead silenced by his father with a reminder not to interrupt when someone was speaking. By the time the crux of the story was told, Mikey barely had a chance to speak. Then, exhausted from their long day and emotional turmoil, everyone went to bed, promising to share more details the next day.
Feeling lonely and out of sorts, Mikey eventually found himself in the kitchen opening the freezer door. "Hey, Kitty," he greeted with a tired smile.
"Mrrow!" she replied, slightly irritable by having just been woken. Still, she reached out and licked Mikey's beak.
"Man, I missed you, Kitty!" he giggled. "Wanna come out and hang for a bit?"
She held out one ice cream paw, motioning to show she would for a little while.
"Aww, you always have time for me, don't you, Kitty?" he cooed, warmed by her agreement. Mikey grabbed Ice Cream Kitty's bowl and took her out, sitting them both at the kitchen table with a deck of cards.
After a few rounds with Mikey chatting nonstop, a shadow suddenly fell across the table, causing Mikey to look up into the concerned amber eyes of his father.
"What are you doing up so late, Michelangelo?"
Mikey shrugged. "I dunno, just couldn't sleep, Master Splinter," he mumbled, feeling that inexplicable sadness beginning to creep over him once more.
Splinter's gaze flickered over Mikey and Ice Cream Kitty, taking in everything; both what could and couldn't be seen. "Perhaps you should return Ice Cream Kitty to her freezer before she falls asleep and melts all over the table."
Doing as he was told, Mikey nodded numbly, "Hai, Sensei." When Mikey turned back around, he saw his father seated in the chair around the corner from his and his eyes widened in surprise. Splinter motioned to the empty seat and Mikey scrambled to fill it again. "Why are you up, Master Splinter?"
"Ah, but I believe that is my question to you."
Mikey shrugged dismissively like it didn't really matter, "Like I said, just couldn't sleep, Sensei."
Splinter began picking up the abandoned cards, wiping ice cream off them with a paper towel. "Is there something bothering you, perhaps?"
Mikey's eyes went wide with shock as he automatically voiced his denial, frantically waving his hands back and forth in front of himself. "Of course not, Master Splinter! Everything's great! We're finally back home and you didn't get murdered this time and Earth's still here!"
"And yet?" Splinter prompted almost gently as he looked Michelangelo directly in the eyes.
Mikey smiled brightly. "I'm really happy to be home, Sensei! Space was great! But..." he trailed off, his thoughts faltering.
"But it was not home?"
"Yeah!" Mikey replied eagerly. Then more sombrely, he added, his voice almost breaking, "And you were dead..." His gaze flickered around the room, only pausing on Splinter for brief moments.
"I understand but this time around, I continue to live. However, that is not all that concerns you, is it?" Splinter observed. Even though it was four am when he would normally be fast asleep, Michelangelo seemed unusually subdued.
Mikey opened his mouth as if to speak before thinking better of it and closing it again.
"Michelangelo, please stop hiding how you truly feel and tell me what is wrong," Splinter commanded gently.
Mikey sat there for a couple of minutes, still except for his rapidly twiddling thumbs. His eyes darted up from from the tabletop to meet Splinter's several times. Finally, in a small voice, he asked, "Did... didn't you miss me, Master Splinter?"
"I did not." The words were out of his mouth before Splinter realised.
Crestfallen, Mikey slumped back in his seat, staring down once more. "But... I missed you, Master Splinter..." he whined softly.
Realising how badly his words had speared his brightest son, Splinter fought back a sigh. "You have to understand, Michelangelo," he began gently, "from my perspective, it is as though none of you were ever gone. One moment I am fighting for the Earth alongside my brave sons and their fearless friends and the next, suddenly there are two of each of you. I did not have a chance to miss any of you."
As his father spoke, Mikey's gaze rose to tentatively meet his father's once more.
"Despite how fantastic the tale you have all spun is, I do not disbelieve it, my son. On the contrary, I can see how much you have grown during your time away. It is, however, quite difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that you four, April and Casey were gone for six months, let alone that you time travelled during your journey away."
"Really?" Mikey asked in surprise. For him, the reality was just as normal as breathing was. Then again, unlike his father, he'd lived through it. "But it's not even our first time time travelling."
Splinter pierced Michelangelo with a sharp gaze. "When did you travel through time before and why am I only hearing about this now?"
Mikey clapped both hands over his mouth. "Oops! I wasn't meant to say that!" When they returned home from Japan where they saved the then still human Hamato Yoshi and met Tang Shen, his brothers and he had sworn not to mention their involvement in their master's past.
"Apparently," Splinter said drily. "I wish to hear about this." It wasn't a request. As he prepared to listen to what would obviously be a long story, given how Michelangelo liked to ramble, he picked up the cards and began shuffling them, quickly dealing them for a game of Rummy.
Smiling brightly, Mikey began explaining how they met Renet a few months before their space adventure and how they had gone back in time to help her. He told of the wonder, the smells and laughed over how Raph couldn't handle his horse. Splinter quirked a smile of amusement at that one. Mikey carefully avoided mentioning anything about the second part of their trip however, knowing his father might feel betrayed over the fact that they couldn't save Tang Shen or change anything... Luckily, if Splinter suspected he held anything back he didn't mention it.
By the end of the tale, they had played several rounds of their game and Mikey found himself yawning widely.
Splinter collected back the cards, stacking them into a neat pile. Finally, he smiled fondly at his youngest. "When we began this life together, I never imagined any of you could have such fantastic opportunities. In only a few short years since I first allowed you to go to the surface, each of you has experienced far more, both good and bad, than most do in an entire lifetime."
Mikey nodded sleepily, a genuinely happy smile upon his lips.
"And through it all, you and your brothers persevered, even keeping up with your training when I was not there to push you to do so."
"No way Leo would've let us sit around being lazy," Mikey laughed. "Would've been too boring anyway."
"Quite," Splinter chuckled, then changed the subject. "I believe you will be able to sleep now, so no arguments, go to bed."
Glancing over at the clock on the oven, Mikey stood to do as he was told, "Um, Master Splinter?"
"Yes, Michelangelo?"
"What's the point? I'll only have to be up for training in another hour anyway. May as well just stay up now."
Splinter shook his head. "There will be no training for today. You and your brothers have only just returned home from a long, arduous journey and I believe are somewhat jet-lagged. One day off to readjust will not hurt."
Beaming warmly, Mikey rushed his father, wrapping his arms around the former human in a tight hug. "Thanks, Master Splinter!"
"You are most welcome," Splinter chuckled, gently prying his clingy son from him. "Now shoo! Bed!"
"G'night, chichi!" Mikey teased with a word he'd long since outgrown, reluctantly pulling away.
Grateful his sons had never learnt the other meaning of the affectionate term, Splinter shook his head and replied, "Good night, my son." Then he watched with a half-hidden smile as Michelangelo, in far higher spirits than earlier, headed back to bed.
-:-
Owari
Comments, thoughts and concrit are always welcome.
* If you ever see my stories posted anywhere other than under the name Zelgadis55 at Deviant Art, FFNet, AO3 or Live Journal, then they have been stolen. Please report them.