Sleep Tight (T-Tots)

Bed time was always a difficult time in the sewers. Trying to get four four-year-old turtles to fall asleep at a decent hour was just as hard as trying to teach them ninjutsu, if not harder. As the clock chimed seven, Splinter left his room to prepare the evening tea. He had found the turtles sleep better when they have a warm cup of tea before bed. He set the kettle on the stove top as he went to retrieve the boys. First, he went into Donnie’s lab space where a young Donatello was reading a very large of book on understanding chemistry.

“Donatello.” He smiled, “It is almost time for tea. Please be quick to the kitchen.”

“I’ll be there in a minute sensei,” Donnie smiled at his father as he closed the book and set it on his lab bench.

Splinter closed the door and set off to find Raphael. He was harder to find than Donatello as he would never be in the same place twice. Raphael was not in the turtles’ room, not in the dojo, and not in the living room. Splinter thought for a moment, “Would he have left the lair to explore the sewers?” he asked himself. No, not this close to bedtime. He stopped looking for Raphael as he passed Michelangelo’s playroom. He slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Mikey was already looking tired and drowsy as he lay on the floor battling his action figures.

“Michelangelo, it is almost tea time.” Splinter picked up Mikey from the ground and tightened his mask.

“Okay, daddy. Just let me clean up my toys and I’ll be down in a little bit.” Mikey rubbed his eyes and yawned.

Splinter smiled putting Mikey back on the floor, “Very well. See you soon, my son.” He left Mikey to clean up his mess.

He was then off to find Leonardo. Leo was the easiest to find. Splinter could hear him no matter where he was. Leo was always in the dojo practicing. Anyone in the lair at any given time could hear Leo grunt as he tried to perfect his kicks and katana tricks.

Splinter walked into the dojo and smiled at him, “Well done my son. You get better and better every day.” He quietly applauded

Leo turned around and slid his fake katanas back in their sleeves, “Thanks sensei,” he ran over to Splinter, “but not as good as you.”

Splinter chuckled slightly as he rubbed Leonardo’s shell, “One day you will be better than me,” he feared he may be right, “Come, Leonardo, it is time for tea.” He picked him up and placed the young Leo on his shoulders. Splinter had almost forgotten that he had not yet found Raphael, “Leonardo, have you seen Raphael recently.”

Leo shook his head, “Nope, not since dinner.” Splinter heard the tea kettle whistling. He quickly ran to the kitchen to pour the tea. He set a place for himself and the four turtle boys.

“Sensei, where’s Raph?” Donnie asked as was served.

“I do not know, Donatello. I was going to ask you the same thing.” He looked up worried, “I will be right back, my sons.” He sent them a reassuring smile before sprinting out of the kitchen.

He searched everywhere and there was no sign of Raphael. He resorted to calling his name. Splinters stern voice echoed throughout the lair. Soon after, Raphael emerged from the shadows of the doorway.

“Raphael, where have you been? I have been looking all over for you” Splinter asked concernedly.

“Hide-and-seek, sensei. You lost.” The red masked turtle chuckled as he passed Splinter and went off to the kitchen.

Splinter, not very amused with Raphael’s answer, sighed and walked back into the kitchen.

“Can we stay up 10 minutes more, sensei? Please.” Donnie asked as he wished to finish the chapter on quantum mechanics.

“No, my sons, it is already later than usual as it is. We have a long day of training tomorrow and you need to get enough sleep for young turtles like yourselves.” He sipped his tea.

The turtle boys groaned, “But sensei, we have been training all week long. Can’t we take a break?” Mikey begged.

Splinter thought for a moment. He looked at the exhausted expressions on all of their faces, still wiped from today’s intense training. He started to feel sorry for them, they were only boys.

“Very well, tomorrow we will take it easy. I will cut the training in half,” the boys started to cheer, “but that does not mean you can stay up later.” The cheering stopped as quickly as it had begun.

After they had all finished their tea, Splinter escorted them to their shared room. He sent the boys to the bathroom to begin the nightly hygiene routine as he turned down the beds. They have been gone for an awfully long time, Splinter thought as he finished turning down the last bed. Curious, he went to investigate what had been taking them so long. He entered the bathroom to find a water and toothpaste mixture covering the floor. “What is going on in here?” He asked.

Leonardo and Donatello quickly removed themselves from the scene to reveal Michelangelo sitting on the ground, crying, and Raphael standing above him. “Sensei, Raph squirted toothpaste in my eyes and then splashed water on me.” He sobbed standing up and running over to Splinter.

Splinter quickly picked Mikey up to see if Raph had done any severe damage to Mikey’s vision. When Splinter was done searching, Mikey dug his head into Splinters robe and continued to cry. “Raphael, you will clean all this mess up and apologize to Michelangelo.” He demanded as he carried Mikey back to the bedroom.

Splinter had waited to begin the night time ritual until Raphael returned. Soon after, Raph entered the room and climbed into his bed. “Sorry Mikey,” he announced as he situated himself within the sheet.

“It’s okay, Raph” Mikey answered.  

Splinter tucked each of them in very tightly and gave them each a small kiss, “Goodnight Michelangelo. Goodnight Donatello. Goodnight Raphael. And Goodnight Leonardo.” He smiled at them before reaching to turn off the lights.

“Master Splinter.” Mikey’s voice emerged from the pile of blankets surrounding him.

“Yes, Michelangelo?” Splinter asked.

“Can you tell us a story, please.” He begged.

“My son, it is very late and you must…” he was cut off by the sounds of four turtle boys begging for a story.


They do this every night. Why did Splinter even think he would be able to send them to bed without a bedtime story? It is always the same, only a different turtle every night. It’s almost like they plan it. And every night always ends the same…Splinter gives in and the turtles stay awake another twenty minutes.

“What story would you like to hear tonight?” He asked as he sat down on the edge of Michelangelo’s bed.

“Tell us the story of how you found us again.” Leonardo asked, followed by many voices persuading agreement.

“But my sons, you have heard that story a hundred thousand times.”

“But it’s our favorite.” Donatello smiled.

“Very well, this is the story of the day we became a family.” Splinter started to tell the story. “Not so many years ago, when I was human, I moved to New York to start my life over again…”

The boys were captivated by every word. They could never repay Splinter for the service of acting as a father figure to them. The story changed every time Splinter told it. Sometimes it was midday and sometimes it was morning, it is possible that the rat had just lost track of time. The mutation was Donnie’s favorite part. He always wondered what it was that turned them this way.

When the story was over, Mikey crawled out of his bed and gave Splinter a very big hug, “Thanks for taking care of us, daddy.” It warmed Splinter’s heart. Not long after, he had three additional turtles wrapped around him.

He hugged them back, “You are welcome, my sons.” The heartfelt embrace lasted many seconds more, “Now, it is late. And you must go to sleep.” He picked them all up and tucked them back in their beds.

“Goodnight sensei.” Leonardo said through a yawn.

“Goodnight, my sons.” He closed the lights and shut the door behind him. Not even a minute later he could hear snoring from inside the boys’ room. He smiled as he walked back to his own room to call it a night.