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Description
Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT sadly
Summary: Yoshi is determined to give his sons a precious childhood memory
Rating: G
Note: For the Winter/Holidays contest on TMNT Contests group

Yoshi opened the door to his son’s bedroom and couldn’t help the smile which crossed his muzzle. His four little boys lay snuggled under the covers of their shared bed, using the combined heat to keep warm.

Winter was the hardest season for his turtle tots, who still struggled to regulate their body temperatures during the cold months. Reaching over he pulled the blankets up tucking them in around his sons.

Walking over to the heater he made sure it was on a low constant setting to keep the room warm throughout the night. He was confident none of his sons would touch it, having had Leonardo learn the hard way that it hurt. All his sons had seen the resulting blisters and had kept their distance ever since.

Closing the door to keep the heat in, he looked around his sewer home. For the past two years his sons had asked him about the white stuff which sometimes floated down through the sewer gratings on their expeditions into the sewers for supplies and training.

Yoshi did want to show his sons the snow which blanketed the world above but he did not dare take them above to the surface, they were still too small and the world above much too dangerous. This year he was determined not to have his sons miss out on a precious childhood memory.

He had spent many expeditions looking for the sandbags and thick sacks he could use to carry out his plan. Now he had more than a dozen of the sacks and bags to use. Having already chosen the indent in their sewer home floor as the main play area, he cleared out all of the cushions and toys his boys had left in there from the previous day’s play.

Once the floor was clear he spread the sandbags over the grate in the centre of the lowered area, making sure to cover all of the holes. Happy that the grate was sufficiently covered he turned off the few heaters he had managed to salvage or buy with his limited funds in the main living area, allowing the temperature to instantly plummet.

Checking on his sons one last time he loaded the rest of the sacks and bags onto a plastic sled which he had salvaged. Heading out of the lair he moved quickly and with determination. Not only did he not like leaving his sons alone, he also knew he was limited to only the darkest part of the night in order to complete his task.

Reaching the surface and pulling the clothing he had put on tightly around him, he headed out to the park where he knew there were several snow drifts. Collar up and head down, moving as quickly as he dared he strode along the surprisingly quiet streets.

He always felt so uncomfortable on the surface now, so scared that if he was caught or identified he would be taken away and his sons would be left fatherless and defenceless. As soon as he reached the park he headed to a dark area where nobody would notice a giant rat collecting snow.

Opening one of the sacks he used the square sheet of plastic to shovel the snow and pack it densely to stop it melting too quickly. He grunted in effort as he lifted the full sack onto the sledge and opened a second bag.

He worked tirelessly despite the cold which seeped through the clothing he wore and into his bones, making his hands cramp with pain. Yoshi had just finished loading the fourth sack on the sledge when the heavens opened once more and fresh snow began to fall.

Shaking with the cold and with his breath misting up before him, Yoshi worked to fill one more sack before deciding he had more than enough. Positioning the sacks carefully on the sledge Yoshi began the weary trudge back to his home.

It took more time then he would have liked to get the sacks of snow back into the sewers and to his home but eventually he heaved the snow back into his home. He could already see the icicles forming on some of the pipes and knew the living area was cold enough to stop the snow from melting.

Opening the sacks Yoshi began to spread the snow over the designated area in the centre of his home covering it and creating a little snow pit for his sons. By the time he had finished Yoshi felt like he would never get warm but it was more than worth it for his sons.

Heading into the kitchen he brewed some tea and set about warming himself up. He had maybe an hour before he would wake his sons and they could have the snow day they had been begging for.

Sitting at the table Yoshi rested his eyes, allowing his body to recover from his exposure until his natural alarm clock told him to move. Moving about the kitchen he made five bowls of hot porridge with honey drizzled on the top.

Loading up a tray he took the breakfast meal into his son’s bedroom where the four still slumbered happily in the warm room. Closing the door behind him so as not to let any of the heat out, he gently called to his sons. Predictably it was Donatello who first stirred and sat up rubbing his eyes.

“Daddy?” he asked sitting up and disturbing his brothers.

“Come now it is time to wake up I have a surprise for you,” Yoshi smiled at his son.

Leo yawned loudly and rubbed at his eyes, “Surprise?”

“Yes a surprise, but first you need to eat up your breakfast and then we need to get wrapped up warm,” Yoshi explained.

“Porridge, yey my favourite,” Mikey cheered spotting the bowls.

Chuckling Yoshi waited until all his sons had sat up and were comfortable before handing them each a bowl.

“Careful now remember to blow on it,” Yoshi cautioned.

The five sat in silence their mouths busy with the food, all the while the excitement of the surprise bubbling up within the four tots. As soon as the porridge was finished, the small turtles wanted to go to their surprise but Yoshi stopped them.

“First you must put on your winter clothes,” Yoshi explained.

“But clothes are yucky, they feel funny,” Raph complained.

“No clothes no surprise,” Yoshi answered simply.

Raph pouted but went to the chest of drawers where Yoshi stored their winter clothing. Four pairs of trousers, four t-shirts and sweatshirts were quickly pulled out and the turtles began to get ready.

“Do not forget your socks and shoes,” Yoshi stated.

The groans of dissent stopped in their throats as Yoshi looked down at his sons. With his help his sons soon had socks and shoes pulled onto their broad feet. While Yoshi knew that his son’s found shoes to be uncomfortable it would all soon be forgotten.

“Hats, scarves and gloves too,” Yoshi added when his sons stood before him.

Without argument the turtles pulled on their hats and scarves, while Yoshi waited with the gloves. Normal five fingered gloves were no good for his sons who only possessed two fingers and a thumb, so Yoshi had spent countless hours when the boys were young unpicking gloves and re-stitching them to fit their small hands.

Eager faces turned up to Yoshi once the last of the required clothing was in place. Smiling down at his sons, Yoshi got to his feet and walked to the bedroom door. Opening it he motioned for his sons to go through.

“It is freezing!” Donnie declared instantly as he walked through the door.

“Daddy why is it cold?” Mikey asked turning wide blue eyes up to his father.

Yoshi merely continued to smile, letting his sons discover for themselves why it was so cold.

“Is that . . .?” Leo began.

“Snow?” Raph finished.

Four little mouths dropped open as they saw the white surprise filling the living area.

“SNOW!” Mikey declared loudly and dove into the white coldness.

With shouts of joy the three older children joined their little brother in the snow. Yoshi stood at the side watching with an indulgent smile on his face as his sons had fun. After getting over the initial shock of how cold and soft the snow was, they began to experiment.

It was Raphael who threw the first snowball and it caught Donnie flush in the face, sending the olive green turtle falling back into the snow. After a few seconds of stunned silence Donnie let out a growl of outrage and scooped up snow to throw back.

Mikey and Leo quickly joined in and the four battled each other ducking in close to scrub each other with the snow before dropping back. Their shrieks of childish joy filled the lair and Yoshi felt very content.

“Get daddy!” a joyful child’s voice suddenly declared shaking Yoshi was his tranquillity.

Using reflexes trained by years of ninja training Yoshi was on his feet and evading his sons before they had chance to pounce on him. The four scrambled after him and chased him throughout the lair scarves streaming out behind them but he continued to playfully avoid them.

“Huddle,” Leo ordered.

Yoshi watched as the four huddled together on the snow covered floor, occasionally glancing over at him but for the most part whispering away at each other. He smiled as he saw Leo taking the lead and directing his brothers with the plan he had made.

Once it seemed they were all happy with their roles, they separated out of the huddle. Yoshi tried to hide his grin as a giggling Michelangelo and a determined Donatello came straight at him at a run and tried to catch him. Twirling out of their way he saw Leonardo and Raphael had separated and were coming at him from the sides in a pincer movement, glee at catching him sparkling in their eyes.

He knew he could avoid them but it was all about having fun and there was nothing more fun to his sons then managing to catch him. Allowing Leonardo and Raphael to pounce on his legs he waited for Mikey and Donnie to jump on him before he collapsed backwards onto the snow.

“Oh no you got me!” Yoshi declared loudly

“Get him,” the four tots shouted and grabbed handfuls of snow.

Yoshi protested lightly as they scrubbed snow into his muzzle but quickly got his revenge. With a light roar he clambered to his knees and scooped up his protesting sons before lightly dumping them on the snow.

Peals of laughter filled the lair as the boys instantly returned to their play. Time seemed to fly by and yet it was completely inconsequential. Lunch time rolled around and Yoshi used the opportunity to warm his sons up and change their clothes. The young tots rambled about the new games they could play and were eager to return back to their play.

Inventing new games and even playing on their own building little snowmen, they had fun, their faces bright and eyes shining with happiness. Yoshi felt his heart warm as he watched them, giving him an almost permanent smile on his face the whole day.

All too soon the time for play had passed and with his sons teeth chattering Yoshi began to settle them down. Warm baths and a treat of hot chocolate before bed topped the day off for the four tots. Curling up under the blankets, the exhausted turtles quickly surrendered to slumber.

Kissing each of his sons on the head, he checked the heater before leaving them to sleep. Winter was the hardest month for his sons but now perhaps they could remember at least one winter with fondness and joy.

END