Title: Suddenly
Author: Eiseedoesit
Rating: G-PG-13 in later chapters
Genre: Family, drama
Disclaimer: Transformers and all the places and characters associated with the franchise, is not owned by me.
Summary: He knew it was only temporary. Orion was never his to keep. The Covenant warned him so, and he must never forget that. Inspired by "Suddenly" from Les Mis.
A/N: "Infinite Night" is getting very heavy to write, with all the dark things that go on in that fic. So, to preserve my sanity I'm writing this little fic on the side, one lighter and much sweeter. Has nothing to do with IN by the way. Just my attempt at fluff. Oh, and kudos for those who can name the reference to another author and her fic in this chapter.
1: The Great Bedtime Debates
"No…not yet….one more please, please grandsire?" The sparkling dragged out the words for as long as he could, a single hiccup escaping midway. He fussed as his caretaker lifted him up from the stacks of datapads scattered on the table, grabbing the closest one only to have it slip away from his tiny fingers.
"And then after that you'll just ask for another, and another. I know your tricks, little one, and if I grant your wish I shall soon run out of stories to tell."
"Then tell them again." The mechling said. He tossed and turned in his caretaker's massive arms. He thumped his fingers against the metal, counting all the stories he recently heard, "I can read them to you if you want grandsire! The Laughing Moon, the Race of the Wreckers, The Curse of Kaon, The Ballad of Andromeda the Warrior—"
"Which you've heard me read many times over. If I was given a drop of energon for each time you begged for that story I'd have enough to drown in." The Archivist chuckled. The soft rumble made the tiny child giggle, "Besides, they'll be many more nights for many more stories. And right now, it is time for recharge."
"But I don't needa sweep." The mechling insisted even as his words slurred. His blue helm drifted down to rest on his guardian's strong shoulder. "Warriors don't sleep. Andromeda didn't sleep. She did things you know."
"Oh, and are you a warrior now?"
"Uh huh." The sparkling mumbled, smacking his tired lips together and yawning some more, "And I'm gonna do things too…lots of things."
Orion barely spoke in the presence of others, and it seemed like the words he harbored up all day were strategically released just before the time for recharge. The Archivist rubbed comforting circles on the sparkling's back, quickly soothing the talkative mechling to sleep.
"Yes, you will my little spark, and one of those things is to rest. Even the mightiest warriors must listen to their grandsires and creators when they're told to go to recharge so they can keep up their strength. "
"No they don't." Orion picked his helm up and pouted, "The Thirteen didn't have grandsires that told them to recharge and they still beat Unicron." Alpha Trion tried not to laugh at the sight. The sparkling inherited Prima's scowl. It both pained and comforted him to realize the strong resemblance. The young one was becoming more and more like his ancestor every day.
"Trust me, they did." Alpha Trion said, gently guiding the blue helm back to rest on his shoulder.
"No they didn't." Orion mumbled.
"Oh, so you don't trust me?" Alpha Trion feigned hurt in his voice. Orion immediately fussed in his arms and drew closer to the older mech's face, his wide optics full of guilt.
"No!" Orion said, "I do trust you, grandsire I do."
"Then go to sleep my brave warrior. And tomorrow I will let you visit Jazz. You would like that wouldn't you?"
The Archivist rubbed comforting circles on the sparkling's back, quickly soothing the talkative mechling.
"Yes sir," Orion said, allowing the bot to settle him down.
"Then go to sleep. When you wake in the morning, I'll take you to see him. Do you accept the terms of this agreement my little warrior?"
"Yes grandsire,"
"Very good, my little spark, very good indeed."
And with that the great Archivist made the long walk through the Hall of Records to where he and his would be warrior resided. There were elaborate tapestries made from light decorating the immense walls of the Halls and surrounding corridors, each one illustrating a story from Cybertron's golden age. And he could hear Orion mumble the name and story of each one as they passed by, his tiny voice growing softer and softer with each step.
Orion's optics grew heavily. The warmth of his caretaker's spark comforted him. The security he felt as his grandsire held and rocked him sent him into a slow but peaceful slumber.
When they reached their quarters, Alpha Trion carefully pulled the sparkling from against his shoulder and set him upon his cradle where a soft warming blanket and piles of datapads were waiting for him.
Orion groaned as his sleep was disturbed from the sudden loss of his grandsire's warm spark. He quickly grabbed the blanket and got lost in it, so much so that Alpha Trion had to dig his helm out and tuck the material properly away from his face. The sparkling's optics remained shut, but he yawned and stretched and muttered something about fighting off Unicron with the Primes, but the Star Saber got eaten by Jazz and now they'll have to wait for Solus Prime to make a new one out of rust-sticks.
"Orion," Alpha Trion brushed his fingers gently against the sparkling's blue helm.
"Yessum grandsire?" Orion half-answered. He curled up tighter in his blanket, mouth already dripping out drool. Alpha Trion cleaned the edge of his mouth and fixed the edges of the fabric, taking care that nothing would snag on the sparkling's armor as he fought Unicron in his sleep.
"Go easy on them. Those Primes aren't as young as you."
The sparkling stirred, opened his optics slightly, blinked, tilted his helm and smiled.
"You're silly. But I'll try grandsire."
"Very good," Alpha Trion said as he leaned over to kiss the sparkling's helm, "Very good indeed."
TBC
A/N: How did it go? No one died yet or was about to. That's an accomplishment for me. And little Orion's favorite story "Andromeda the Warrior" is property of Andromeda Prime and her "Amnesiac" story-arc. Leave a review please, for it nourishes the spirit.