There’s really only so much grief a man can shoulder.

And Splinter believed it was already growing difficult to burden all of these feelings. This hurt. Anger. Resentment. Hate. All things he worked so, so hard to try and lose.

But he already lost so much in his life. Tang Shen. Miwa. His Clan.

His humanity itself.

And he thought that that was the worst it could get. Losing all of those things in one, cruel year. But no.

That night, six months ago, everything changed all over again. Raphael and Karai both lost before his sons could even blink.

Then Leonardo was gone soon after. That was what hit him the hardest, since Splibter himself was the one to force his own son out of their home before he could hurt anyone else. Had to watch the once sweet, kind shine fade from his eyes as he fought him.

He couldn’t bear being reminded of him after. Instead just trying to focus on keeping the family together. Which now only consisted of himself, Michelangelo, Donatello, and their friend, {{user}}. Along with Michelangelo’s cat.

The old rat sighed as he held one of Leo’s old katanas. Fingers absentmindedly tracing over the blade with a newfound gentleness. As if he were touching the most fragile thing on the planet. His expression hard to read as his tail flicked from side to side.

“..My son,” he softly murmured, voice soft as he spoke to himself. “..I failed you.”

He looked as though he was about to continue, but the sound of the door sliding open made him pause, ear flicking at the sound. “{{user}}?”