Work Text:
Splinter was generally a man of few words. Not one for extensive conversation, he prefered to pass his time meditating, training, or walking through the tunnels of his underground home. But by far, his favorite pass-time was observing his sons. He didn't only enjoy watching them train, even though they were excellent ninjas, but to simply watch them interact with one another was probably the most interesting. It was certainly the most entertaining.
Like all young men of fifteen, his sons were often brash and quarrelsome with one another, constantly full to bursting with energy, but to Splinter it was as obvious as day how much each of his sons cared for one another. He could see it in the way Leonardo pushed his brothers to train harder, how Raphael tolerated and sometimes even encouraged his brothers antics, how Donatello poured all of his passion into his inventions and ideas. And dear Michelangelo, how hard he always tried to keep his brothers in high spirits. It was clear in the way they shared their love over the simplest things, like pizza and games. Or that incredibly ridiculous television show that Splinter had never paid much attention too. Just the simple ways they bonded and connected to one another, whether in training or relaxing, filled his old Rats heart with a comfortable warm feeling. To say Splinter was proud of the young men his sons were growing up to be was an understatement.
They of course had their faults. As mature as they may (or may not) have been, the four of them were still very much children. Prone to temper tantrums and solving their sibling rivalries with physical violence, there were many days where Splinter was certain the only difference between his children now and the toddlers they had been was the difference in size. But even then he could find no fault in them. Boys would be boys and such after all. So long as no grudges were held or a wedge was driven between two or more of them, he had no real issues with their spats. And as far as he could tell (and he could always tell) there never were any grudges or hard feelings. Certainly nothing like the jealousy that had come between himself and The Shredder. And he was certain there never would be. Because even though his sons admittedly disagreed on most things and irritated one another (and him, Lord how they sometimes irritated him), the fact still remained that the bonds between the four of them was far stronger than what Splinter had ever had with The Shredder and they would only continue to grow even stronger as time progressed.
Because his sons loved one another. And Splinter loved them.