#partly as he knew he couldn't keep it from them indefinitely

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

After dying in Ghost Splinter 2, Splinter did a lot of soul searching (hehehe) and looked at his parenting through a different perspective. He knows he’s messed up: he’s put too much responsibility on Leo’s shoulders, should have helped Raph with his temper, and hasn’t spent enough time with Donnie or Mikey.

So he decides to make a change.

He gets more involved in the fight with the Foot Clan - there are stratergy meetings between him and Leo. It takes some of the pressure of Leo, but Splinter is careful to treat it like a lesson, or a teacher imparting wisdom - he doesn’t want Leo to think Splinter’s lost any faith in him. And when the meetings are over, Leo is pushed towards the pit to play games with his brothers or watch another episode of Space Heroes - it’s important that Leo has the chance of being the child he actually is, rather than the warrior he’s been forced to become.

There are several long conversations with Raph. Since meeting Mona, his temper has got a lot better, but finding out why Raph is so angry wouldn’t be a bad idea. Some of it’s caused by the life he and his brothers are forced to lead, saving the world whilst beleiving humanity will never accept them. There’s an element of righteous fury - why shouldn’t Raph be angry - and a desire to protect those he cares about. But there’s also the gut feeling that Splinter prefers Leo, that Leo is the favourite son and student. Splinter hadn’t realised that, which is part of the problem. They figure out something they can do together, just them. Raph starts learning embroidery as well as how to knit. One day the rest of the family can hear them argueing and it turns out they both have widely different opinions on this one artist/their work.

For Donnie, Splinter starts sitting in the lab with him, watching his son work. Sometimes Donnie will look up to find Splinter gone, but he’ll return with food and drink for Donnie. Eventually, Splinter starts asking questions - he’d known that Donatello was brilliant, but it’s another entirely thing to be walked through Donnie’s thought process. There are nights where Donnie falls asleep in his lab and wakes up tucked in bed. It’s weird, at first, to spend so much more time with his father, but it’s nice too. And if Mikey starts trying to touch things he shouldn’t, a word from Sensei usually puts a stop to it.

It’s similiar with Mikey. If Mikey’s playing a video game, Splinter will sit next to him and watch. After roughly the third time, Mikey asks if he wants to join in. Splinter is not good at video games, at least not without practice, and has a knack for finding every last glitch in the game without trying. Mikey ends up wheezing more often than not when Splinter’s character gets stuck half in a wall, before being flung across the map. He is very good at puzzles though, so they end up playing games like Legend of Zelda - Mikey handles the combat elements, and Splinter figures out how to solve the puzzles. Mikey starts talking to him about the comics he draws and an online friend he’s been talking to for a while (it’s Woody).

Splinter also ends up talking to April and Casey outside of training.

Things are going well. Sure Shredder is still alive and Splinter doesn’t have much control over his ghost powers or form yet (and he still needs to tell them he’s dead), but over the course of a few months his relationship with his sons has become stronger. And he’s starting to come to terms with his own death, like yes he’s dead, but he’s still here and can be there for his children. So he begins thinking about how he can break the news - they’ve got to know eventually, and he wants it to come from him and not be something they find out by accident. He’s not sure how he’s going to tell them, but he will.

And then Leo asks him if he’s okay, he’s been acting a bit weird lately and Leo’s just worried. He says he’s fine (Splinter is not going to tell Leo first - he’s already decided he’s going to explain it to all of his children when they’re together). Oh, there’a party at the Mutanimal’s place? That sounds like fun!

[suseagull04]

'Say the word, your wish is my command' (Queen - Good Old-fashioned Lover Boy) & Firstprince please! 🌈

I can only apologise about the lack of Queen & Elton John, tbh I could do a prompts list with just their lyrics alone 🤣

Maybe another Friday 😇

Ohhh, this is a dangerous prompt for me, I'm likely going to come back to this verse...

No need to apologize about the lack of Queen (though I'd love a list of just their lyrics), I get it! It's just that I've never heard the songs you picked (or most of the artists, tbh), so that was my way of grasping for something familiar.

On to the fic! Hope you like it ♥️🤍💙

Alex stared at the genie in front of him, mouth agape. “You're a what? I get what?”

“Genie, and you get three wishes. I thought I said that already.”

Alex sat back, back resting against the pillows. “Yeah, you did. It's just a little difficult to believe, is all. I'm not sure how long you've been stuck in there, but people don't really believe in magic these days.”

Henry grinned, spreading his arms wide. “Believe it, love. Almost anything you want, I can give you.”

“Almost?” 

“Well, I can't make anyone fall in love with you or kill anyone, but other than that, yes.”

“Hmm…” Alex had never really wanted much of anything. He was perfectly happy with his life the way it was. “Let me think about it, and I'll let you know.”

********

In the end, Alex had decided to use his wishes for others. With Henry's help, he started a shelter for queer kids. After some thought (and a run in with one kid, Pez, who had run away from home at just 15 after they had come out to their family as nonbinary), Alex had immediately known that that was the best use for his first wish. 

Ears a little pink, Henry had been only to happy to grant his request. The wish was all-encompassing, so Alex didn't even need to worry about funding for keeping the shelter running, which honestly, was the best part, because then he could help indefinitely. 

As they ran the shelter together, Alex couldn't help noticing that although he was reserved when asked about his previous masters, Henry was… well, the most gentle, loving person Alex had ever known. He had moments of darkness, when he would retreat from Alex, and being there for him to make sure he ate something was all Alex could do. Alex suspected that those moments were caused by memories of previous masters, and he always made sure Henry knew he was there for him if he needed to talk, but Henry never took him up on it. 

Then one day, Henry asked him, “Not that I want any master other than you, but is there anything else you want with your wishes? You still have two left.”

Alex shook his head, but then something occurred to him. “What do you want?”

To his dismay, a dejected look came on Henry's face at those words. “What I want, I can't get.”

“What is it?”

“Freedom, and- a life with someone.”

Alex couldn't help grinning. “Which guy or girl? I’ll help be a matchmaker for you.”

Henry's eyes widened. “You wouldn't want to do that.”

“Why not?”

Then Henry's lips were on his in a kiss that might have been unexpected, but it was the best kiss of Alex's life, partly because he had thought about doing that exact thing from the moment Henry expressed his enthusiasm about the shelter. 

“My second wish is for your freedom,” Alex panted, the wish hanging in the air between them. 

Henry's smile was blinding. “Your wish is my command.”