"Donnie's making milkshakes." Mikey pointed out. As if it's that obvious.
"Yeah but what's so special about it that makes you guys immediately sat down?"
Mikey gasped and I nearly joined in if not for the fact I kept reminding myself I know nothing of their household.
Whooo boi.
"Donnie's good at mixing science-y stuffs, but not only that he's good at mixing the perfect ingredients for the perfect milkshake. Like, if you taste it, it feels like heaven." Mikey said, swooning as he uttered those words as flower petals suddenly appeared at the background.
Whoa. It's rose petals.
"Man. I want to try it too." Casey said, grinning.
"Hope for yourself." Raph said.
Silence ensues. Datdadadaaa.
...Oh wait a minute.
"By the way, where's Leo? I mean, I'm not hallucinating when you said you have another brother called Leo right?" I asked at Raph, playing the curious card.
"Well. Umm.. He's.. away." Raph coughed, looking at another direction.
I wonder why.
"Away as in..?"
"Our father. Splinter. He sent Leo on a solo mission to.. someplace." He then frowned. Which made me crossed my fingers as I panicked.
Please tell me he didn't pick the hints.
"Now that you ask, Sensei didn't tell us where'd he go."
I breathed a sigh of relief as Raph said those words.
Dank goodness.
As if on cue, Splinter materialized behind me. No one noticed him yet so I just shrugged at his existence. Wait that's a bit cruel- whatever. That is.. untill he looked at me with his signature raised eyebrow.
Oh right. I was supposed to not know him. Stupid stupid.
I let out a shriek as I flailed my arms in the air. Falling over on my shell. Again.
Overly dramatic I guess.
I gave Sensei a sheepish grin as he gave me a look that reads 'You-and-your-life-are-utterly-dramatic' that only both of us understand. To other people, it only seemed that like he's glaring at me.
"Oh hey Sensei. We're just talking about you." Mikey said, smiling brightly.
"It's not usual that you're out of your room during this hour. Is your meditation ended earlier?" Raph asked.
Sensei stroked his beard and shook his head.
"No. I simply heard that Donatello are making his milkshakes. I came to have my share." Then he eyed me and sighed.
"Who is this?"
"Ao. Hello Master Splinter, I heard so much about you." I said.
"And hello to you too Ao. I hope my sons treated you well."
"Oh yeah. Mikey proposed to me. He's nice. Raph? Not so much. Donnie? The milkshakes are a bonus point."
Splinter sighed and gave me another look that says 'I-don't-even-want-to-know-anymore' as he nodded. Just as Donnie came out from the kitchen.
"Hey Sensei. Good thing I made yours. Here it is." He said, putting a large cold mug of matcha green tea with honey and vanilla milkshake at Splinter's hands. Paws. Whatever.
"Thank you Donatello."
"You're welcome. Here's yours Raph."
"Thanks man." Said red turtle said,-ahahahaha-, accepting the offered honey with lemon cinnamon banana milkshake.
Mikey got his usual, which may or may not sounded like a Starbucks order so I'm shortening it up. Butterbeer Milkshake. I don't remember the ingredients but I do know that it has cream, sugar, vanilla, butter, cheese powder, maybe soda, cinnamon, more cream, and biscuits.
He's Mikey afterall.
When Donnie got mine, I cried. Literally.
"Why are you crying?" Donnie asked in shock as tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Don't mind him, he's always like that." Raph responded. But I don't care.
Because here, in my arms, is the purest baby I've ever seen in my life.
Vanilla. Oreos. Milk, duh. Cream. Cream cheese. And matcha green tea at the lower part.
Holy shitake mushrooms.
It's the difintion of perfection.
"I just drank heaven." I said emotionally, blowing my nose at my green scarf.
Y'all probably wondering why I'm emotional since I'm Leo, I would also tasted Donnie's milkshakes before hand. Yeah but get this.
Leo is a kill joy. No surprise there tho.
The last time I has Donnie's milkshakes was over eight years ago. I have to be the perfect big brother and leader, carrying out responsibilities. So naturally I have to become a boring person. The only occasions I can get to drink Donnie's milkshake is by sharing with Sensei's. But it is nothing.
Compared to this.
"Glad you like it. I was about to gave that flavour to Leo, actually. But seeing he usually turned down the offer, I never really got the chance to make it." Donnie said with a bitter voice that I would've missed if not for my sharp ears. Which made me froze because oh. OH.
Did I miss them that much?
I ignore the gnawing guilt as I listed April and Casey's drinks. Which is cool because Donnie actually made some for them.
April has banana and mango. With cinnamon and cream cheese. Topped with mint and drizzled with honey, and jellies at the bottom of her glass.
Casey has mocha with cream and cocoa powder. I think it's tinged with lemon a bit.
"Okay. I have to admit. It's just. Wow." April exclaimed, her eyes wide as Donnie blushed in the background.
I drank mine again and was in the verge of tears, again.
"I see the bright light." I echoed, looking straight at the ceiling.
"That's a lamp, kid."
"Shut up, Hot-Head."
"I wish Leo is here.." Mikey suddenly spoke up, sighing as I froze.
Welp. Dang.
Cue Splinter to the rescue.
"It's alright Michelangelo. I've sent Leonardo on a solo mission, he will be back once he finished."
"To where?" Donnie asked.
There was a long pause before Splinter shrugged.
"Central America."
I choked on my drink.
As the rest of my brothers wide eyed started bantering at where and why I'm there, I sent Sensei a glare.
"You did not just quote on me." I mouthed.
"Well, what am I supposed to say?"
"Atleast give me a copyright."
"Dully noted."
"Why Central America? What happened?" Donnie asked, cutting us off from our silent banter.
"Things that I should not say."
Way to go. Very brilliant answer. Much wow. Great job Sensei, now they'll hate me. Me as in Leo.
So much for being cryptic.
"Tell him to bring back home sombreros." I said. Just to pop in for fun. Ye.
"And also a Spanish dictionary."
"I don't think he brought his phone with him." Splinter said as he gave me the side-eye.
Oh. Oh okay.
Letters I guess. Fake letters.
...How am I supposed to buy the freaking post-stamps?
"Why did you send him there?" Raph said. Almost quietly.
"I have already told you why."
"Yeah but why? Why him? Why not any of us? Why not all of us? We always stick together." With that he stood up. His face actually darkened which means one thing.
Raph is mad.
No. He's furious.
Fast and furious- okay I'll shut up.
"This is a matter you can not understand Raphael."
My eyes widened.
Oh no no no. Wrong thing to say.
"You always said that! You always pick him! The golden kid! Why?! Why is it always-"
"Raphael, enough!"
Raph stomped off into his room as Sensei sighed. Mikey quietly retreated with Donnie to the lab, as Casey and April took that moment to take their leave.
I can't comprehend anything else by then. My mind is muddled. And it's just getting hard to breathe..
Raph's words echoed in my head,
Golden kid.
If only you knew.
If only I can tell you.
If only..
If only things are much easier.
Why. Why. Why. What have I done.
"...Sensei?" I whispered, looking at Splinter.
He sighed and nodded.
I drank the rest of my drink before standing up. And with that, I bolted out from the lair. My feet running. Moving fast. My breathe hitched.
And when I arrived at the sea. I couldn't hold it.
I cried.
Mhhhmmm. Double update. I deserve a cookie for this.
Hints is here. Hint is there. Hints everywhere. Have fun figuring out the.. well. Stuffs.
And why did this take turn into an angsty chapter is beyond my own mind.
See ya later potatoes.