Title: Making It Normal

Author: The Emcee

Summary: On the outside, a relationship between a human and a giant, robotic alien from another planet may not seem all that normal, but Cade and Optimus make it normal. And that's all that matters in the end.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Yeah, I know, the summary sucks. Anyway, this is kind of like a drabble type thing of bits and pieces of the relationship between Optimus and Cade. Honestly, I just ship them so hard it makes my head spins. There needs to be more of these two out there because they are freaking hot and adorable together. Anyway, I hope you all let me know what you think. R&R. Enjoy!

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Dinner

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"Cade?"

Cade heard Optimus' voice calling him from outside of the barn. The new one, not his old one. His old one had been, of course, destroyed along with his old house. Now, thanks to Joshua, they had a new house and a new barn. Same land, new structures. And the same old habits.

Joshua had made sure that Cade, Tessa, and Shane would never have to work again if they choose to, but that didn't stop Cade from tinkering. He couldn't help it. Finding out how things work and fixing them was what he was made to do. It was his calling and nothing got in his way when he was working.

Except giant robot aliens from Cybertron.

"Cade?" The door to the barn opened and Optimus peered inside, his blue optic scanning the interior until he found his human at his work bench.

Cade looked up and gazed through his glasses at Optimus. It had been almost four years since he had first found Optimus in that old movie theater. Two since Optimus had returned to them, to him, and it had been like a dream. He still couldn't believe that Optimus was back. There were many a night that he'd wake up, frantic, wondering if the leader of the Autobots was still there or if he had disappeared. Although he knew that it made Optimus feel guilty, he couldn't help it. It was a natural response, even though Optimus had told him time and again that he wasn't going anywhere, not for a long while.

"Shit. Sorry, Optimus. I didn't hear you calling," Cade said as he took off his glasses and stood up. He nearly tripped over a few stray cords that were scattered on the floor. Optimus chuckled softly.

"Do not hurt yourself, Cade. I will be right here," Optimus said as he backed away from the barn door. Cade stepped outside and closed the door behind him before he stepped onto Optimus' outstretched hand.

"So what's up?" Cade asked.

"Dinner is ready. Tessa sent me to collect you," Optimus told him. "She said I would have better luck than she would have."

"Yeah, she's probably right," Cade said, laughing a bit. He looked down at himself and groaned. "I'm a mess."

"Indeed. That is why I am taking you to your room. So that you may cleanse yourself," Optimus said.

"Thanks, Optimus. I appreciate the hand," Cade said, grinning. Optimus smiled softly himself and lifted his hand so that it was level with Cade's bedroom window.

"You know, it's nice having a significant other as tall as you," Cade said as he slid into his bedroom with a rough grace that only he seemed to possess. It never failed to hypnotize Optimus.

"I am glad you find use of my height," Optimus teased, smiling slightly. Cade just laughed and ducked into his bathroom (Joshua insisted everyone have a private bath because, well, he had one. Joshua's logic was hard to understand at best).

Hopping into the shower, Cade quickly washed himself before turning off the water and exiting the shower. After drying himself and pulling on a shirt, boxers, and jeans, he leaned out of his window to look at Optimus, who had been patiently waiting for him.

"Sorry it took me a little longer than expected. I had to get the greasy and stuff outta my hair," Cade said apologetically. Optimus merely waved his apology away.

"Do not fret over such trivial matters, Cade. These things happen," Optimus replied.

"Will you and the others be joining us tonight?" Cade asked hopefully.

As much as he loved Optimus as his usual mech-self, Cade liked that he also had a holoform, a form that allowed Optimus and the rest of the Autobots to look and feel human. And they really, truly looked and felt as though they were made of flesh and bone and blood. It never ceased to amaze Cade whenever he saw each of the Autobots' holoforms; they just looked so...human, which was the entire point of them. But their holoforms didn't just make them look or feel human; they practically were. They had to eat and sleep and do everything a human did on a daily basis. It was still kind of funny seeing them in their holoforms and having to deal with mundane human issues such as eating or even going to the bathroom.

"Yes, we will. I believe it has been a while since we have all used our holoforms," Optimus said.

"Yeah, it has been," Cade replied. And it had been. It wasn't often that all of the Autobots used their holoforms all at once. But it never ceased to amaze Cade how human they looked and felt when they did.

Optimus lowered Cade to the ground and the inventor turned and watched as Optimus' spark projected a strand of light, then another one, and then a few more until they were all working to create his holoform. His foloform had hair so black that it looked like it had blue mixed within it - and it probably did. Optimus' eyes were bright blue, just like his optics, only not as bright seeing as how they were, well, eyes. His skin was tanned and he had scars all over his arms, hands, and even a few on his face. With a black shirt and cargo pants that had blue and red flames on them tucked into old, worn boots, Optimus looked hot as hell.

It nearly made Cade swoon and that was saying something. He wasn't a girl after all, but seeing Optimus in his holoform sure made him feel like one.

"Wow," was all Cade could say. That caused a small smile to spread across Optimus' face.

"I'm still glad that you're pleased by my holoform, Cade," he said.

"I'm more than please, Optimus," Cade said as he folded his arms around Optimus' neck and hugged him (he seriously liked how Optimus was taller than him in this form as well).

When their lips met in a kiss, sparks flew. Not literally of course, but that's what it felt like. Kissing Optimus had always been incredible and this time was no exception. It never got old, it never got boring or tiring and it always, always, left Cade wanting more and more...

"Stop making out you two!" Tessa called from the front door. Relunctantly, Cade and Optimus pulled apart. "It's time to eat, not time to smooch." With her hands on her hips, Tessa reminded Cade of himself.

"I thought no one said 'smooching' anymore, sweetie?" Cade teased. Tessa rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, you're a bad influence on me," she told him. "Now both of you get inside before dinner gets even more cold than it already is."

Hand in hand, Optimus and Cade made their way into the house. There were many, many reasons as to why Cade loved Optimus and why their relationship worked despite their obvious differences. Being able to just sit down and share dinner with him and the rest of the Autobots was one of them.