Note: This work is also on Archive of Our Own.

A short nap beneath this tree was just what Optimus Prime needed. Recharged, refreshed, he transforms and stretches with a hum of contentment, as though the dark cloud that hovered over him this morning never existed. His right audio finial brushes against something small and wooden.

Plink, plunk.

"Whoops." He blinks up at the wind chimes swinging above his helm. "Pardon me."

From where he kneels in the shade, he then surveys the yard, the structures...checking for signs of unruly mischief the other Autobots may have performed while he was powered down. Nothing seems to be amiss. He sends a request for his fellow mechs' statuses through the comm; two are out for a drive, and the others are refueling in the barn. All is well.

::And Cade?::

::He said he was going to the post office. Should be back any nanosecond.::

Which is surprisingly accurate: Optimus has only begun counting when he spots the human's vehicle rumbling up the long drive. Carefully avoiding the set of chimes above him, the giant mech stands to his full height and moseys up to the house. He soon finds Cade already out of the parked vehicle and reaching into the passenger's side for a pile of mail. Remembering a time he spooked the man into knocking his head on the underside of a table, the Prime waits patiently for him to pull out to safety and shut the door before he says hello.

"Hey, big guy." Cade stacks the mail on the hood of his truck. He grins and adjusts his baseball cap as he squints up at Optimus through the blaring sunlight. "Ha, wow, I can barely see you. Sat on my favorite pair of shades before I left. Did you sleep okay?"

"Like a sparkling, and I am sorry you damaged your sunglasses." Optimus shuffles to the other side and crouches for Cade's sake. He arches an optic ridge at a long box that sits in the bed; Amazon Prime, it reads repeatedly on the tape that seals it shut, but he does not comment on that particular detail. He gestures toward the package and prompts: "Do you suppose that...?"

"...is the set you picked out last week?" Cade finishes, reaching into the bed to give the box a pat. "I'd bet my fancy new kitchen counters that it is. Wanna open it right now?"

"Please, if you do not mind."

"Course not."

While Cade takes his mail into the house and fetches a sharp instrument, Optimus plucks up the box and weighs it in his servos. The moment Cade pops back outside, the Autobot rumbles, "I know just the place for these."

It is Cade's turn to arch an eyebrow. "Do you, now?"

Optimus gently places the box on the porch step. "Mm, hm."

"Gee, I wonder where that'll be."

"You understand my meaning, surely," Optimus says, crossing his arms.

The man stifles a snicker as he sits and starts fiddling with the box. "Just pulling your leg, Optimus."

The Autobot gives a soft snort of his own. "I would love to see you try," he mutters.

They put their banter on hold while the box is being opened. Cade does the unpackaging and assembling, and Optimus hovers close by to provide shade and company. They converse out here as they usually would do over one of the inventor's projects; the human relays a greeting from a certain college girl, and the mech reassures that nothing important has been tread upon during Cade's brief absence.

It is not long before Optimus has a handsome set of metal wind chimes dangling from between two digits, and it is safe to say that he and Cade have made a fine purchase. Dotted all over the dark grey metal tubes are thousands of tiny silver speckles, like stars in the night sky. The tubes themselves are large enough to create a deep bing, bong sound that is pleasant to the mech's audio receptors.

"They are lovely," Optimus murmurs.

Cade nods, appearing a bit mesmerized himself. "And they're definitely our biggest ones yet. I mean, look at 'em, you can knock a guy out with one of those!"

Optimus smiles. "Well, should you ever lack any other options, I suppose now you know where to seek out a weapon." He offers Cade an open palm. "Shall we introduce them to the others?"

Cade returns the smile and climbs aboard.

So off they go across the yard to the very tree under which the Prime recharged, the chimes binging and bonging with every step of the way. As they come near, a gentle breeze stirs the flora. Among the rustling leaves, the wooden chimes from before go plink, plunk...and on branches nearby, many chimes of different shapes and sizes join the chorus: a larger set of wooden chimes goes plonk, donk; a small set of silver ones goes ting, ting; and a gold-colored set with long tubes goes ding, dong-somewhat like the newest addition, only a few notes higher. And those are not the only ones, for over the past few seasons, Optimus and Cade have eventually collected enough wind chimes to hang on nearly every one of the lower branches.

In other words, there is an entire orchestra dangling above one of Optimus Prime's favorite spots on the property.

"This one, here." Optimus locates the desired limb and lifts Cade higher so that he may observe with ease. "It is sturdy enough to withstand th-"

He is interrupted by a clatter and a yelp as Cade's head collides with a set of plonk-donkers.

"Oh!" The Prime lowers his servo back to chest-level. "My sincerest apologies, Cade. Have I harmed you?"

"Stay cool. I think I'll live," the human mumbles, his face hidden behind the downturned bill of his cap. He pushes it back up, revealing eyes that are twinkling with mirth. "How in the heck," he laughs, "do you keep yourself from getting tangled up in these things?"

Relieved that his companion is not hurt, Optimus relaxes. "With great caution. However, there are still some instances when a part of me bumps into them."

"Or, in this case, a part of your team."

"...Yes," Optimus says sheepishly, although he knows that Cade is teasing him. "Again, I apologize. I promise to be more careful in the future."

Cade waves it off. "Aw, don't beat yourself up over it. It didn't even hurt. Hey," he says before Optimus can object, "boost me back up so I can climb up there, huh?"

This time there is no incident, and at last they manage to secure the chimes to the tree. Mission accomplished, Optimus sits cross-legged on the soft grass, and Cade scoots back and props himself against the trunk, letting one of his legs swing free while the other keeps his balance on the limb. They are silent for quite some time, enjoying the music as another breeze sweeps through. Optimus shutters his optics with a deep sigh; yes, a bing, bong sound was exactly what this tree was missing, and now that it is here, everything feels just right. Complete.

"Cade, I cannot express my gratitude enough," he murmurs, as if speaking at a normal volume may chase away the magic. "Had I currency of my own, I..."

Unshuttering his optics, the Prime realizes that Cade, too, has closed his eyes, for one of them opens to peek at him. "Shucks, Optimus," the human says fondly. "It's no big deal." Both eyes are open now as he turns his face to fully meet his gaze. "Besides, I like buying stuff for you. So even after you're done with wind chimes, don't be afraid to keep me updated on your wish list, okay? I don't care if it's garden gnomes or pink flamingos, next. You want 'em, I'll get 'em. And I won't judge."

Optimus has to rumble with amusement at that one. "Very well, but I do not think either of those creatures will be necessary." He turns up his face to watch those silver stars sparkle in the dappled sunlight. The air has gone still once more, but the chimes are still humming. Serene, satisfied, the mech returns the hum. "These soothing wind instruments will see me through. They were just what I needed."