And here's the second chapter!

Simple Acts

My Welcoming

Give me your hands

Show me the door

I cannot stand

To wait anymore

"At Least It Was Here" - The 88

xxXxx

The front door unlocked with an audible click, and Johnny pushed it open into the unlit foyer. "I'm home from school!" He shouted.

There was no response. There rarely ever was, but that never stopped him from hoping. The young man man flicked the light switch on with a sigh and walked into the living room, tossing his jacket and backpack onto the couch and then collapsing onto it in turn.

Johnny's feelings on his domicile were mixed. Not that it was bad-looking or unappealing – Johnny's parents may have always been away on business, but they'd made sure that he would have a nice place to live in the meantime. The walls were brightly painted in largely earthy colors, shades of green, brown, and yellow, and paintings and pictures of natural scenes from planet Earth hung from them. It had two floors, both of which were well-furnished and fairly spacious, and there was always food in the pantry.

Johnny had no real frame of reference, but personally he thought his house was a nice place. It felt like a cocoon, someplace safe that he could retreat to when necessary. A big, hollow cocoon...

He forced himself not to think about it. He'd done plenty of that in the past, and his crying never changed anything. Instead, he wound up thinking about Josh. It had been almost a week since Johnny had run into the boy – last Wednesday, and today was Tuesday – and Johnny had been worried about him ever since. Thankfully, there'd been mention in the news about the incident; Josh was stable and recovering just fine. Not only that, but Johnny's identity had been conveniently kept out of the story; according to the official report, the 911 call had been made by a "mystery person." There was still some speculation, both on TV and on the Web, but so far Johnny had been spared the public eye. He wasn't sure why he hadn't been mentioned – perhaps Ultra Magnus or Josh had requested it – but it was a bit of good news, and Johnny welcomed it.

An Autobot had stopped by a couple of days ago to pick up Josh's phone, the one Johnny had kept safe until then, and he'd passed on a bit of news as well. Evidently, Ultra Magnus hadn't been satisfied with simply thanking Johnny over the phone – he wanted to thank him in person as well, and to that end, he'd gone so far as to invite Johnny to his estate.

Johnny was intimidated at the proposition; why on Cybertron would one of the most powerful figures alive want to talk to him? He hadn't done anything extraordinary, just dialed the hospital for somebody who needed it. He certainly wasn't fit to meet Ultra Magnus himself. What would the man think when he saw that the person who saved his son was just a nervous, messed up fifteen-year-old?

And Johnny would have refused, if not for the fact that Josh wanted to meet him as well. He couldn't explain it in words, but something inside of Johnny really, truly wished to meet that boy again, if only to see that he would be alright. Maybe he even wanted to befriend him. Johnny hadn't tried to befriend anybody in the longest time, but wouldn't Josh be a great place to try again? A pipe dream, for sure, but there was still a persistent sliver of hope inside of him that insisted otherwise.

So Johnny accepted the offer, if still reluctantly, and was left to wait until Tuesday.

In other words, today.

The thought made insecurity bubble up within him once again, even as he struggled to force it back down. Even if he did manage to get himself excited, he had no idea who or what to expect, or even when he would be expected. The Autobot had mentioned briefly that somebody would stop by for Johnny in the afternoon, but he'd neglected to mentioned a specific time. It was about five minutes to three now.

Johnny walked over to the TV set up on the wall and turned one of his game consoles, switching over to Netflix. If he didn't know what time, he'd just have to wait, and why wait in silence when he could be catching up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?


DING-DONG!

"Hey, is Jonathan Hale here?"

Johnny had just finished his second episode when he heard the doorbell and the voice ring through the front door. He gulped. No going back now.

He stood up, offhandedly grabbing his jacket and slinging it on, then walked slowly over to the front door. Placing his hand on the doorknob, Johnny could feel his heartbeat pounding an allegro beat in his chest. Taking one final breath, he wrenched the doorknob tightly and pulled the door open.

He was met with a Cybertronian crouched down on his front lawn, finger extended toward the doorbell as if to ring it again. The sight was so ridiculous, to Johnny at least, that he almost laughed. Instead, he simply gave his visitor a once-over. They were definitely an Autobot, as evidenced by the red insignia on their chest and their electric blue optics. They had dark blue plating with yellow and white stripes, and a silver faceplate that presently bore a friendly smile.

"I take it you like what you see?" The Autobot chuckled.

Johnny could feel himself tense up instantly. "Oh, I'm sor-sorry," he stammered. "I didn't mean to- I was, just thinking about-"

"Hey, hey, calm down, kid!" The Autobot held his hands out and spoke gently, face shifting into a worried mask. "I wasn't putting you on the spot or anything. Just kidding around a little."

"Oh! Uh, alright," Johnny muttered. Great, he'd only just begun and he was already off to a bad start. His hand began to lift up toward his head again, but Johnny mentally forced it back down. He couldn't let his nerves take over, not today. "So, are you my... uh, my escort?"

"That depends," the Autobot responded. "Are you Jonathan Hale?"

Johnny nodded after a brief hesitation. "I prefer Johnny, but yeah."

The Autobot let out some mixture of a sigh and a laugh. "Oh, thank the AllSpark for that! I'm running late enough as it is!" He stood up, giving Johnny a full view of his height. "Come on, shake a leg. We've got people waiting!" Stepping into the road, the Autobot transformed before Johnny's amazed eyes. Within seconds, the robot had been replaced with a similarly colored sports car, whose passenger door then popped open invitingly. The young man walked toward his escort briskly, chest filling with both his usual nervousness and a growing flicker of excitement.

He slid into the passenger seat and pulled the door closed before buckling up. "Ready to head out, Johnny?" The Autobot's voice came through the radio. The young man nodded. "Good. It's about twenty minutes from here, so just sit back and relax. Name's Smokescreen, by the way."

"Okay, got it," Johnny replied. "Thanks, Mr. Smokescreen."

"Hey, no 'misters' for me, okay?" Smokescreen laughed. "I'm not that old! Just Smokescreen's fine."

"Oh, sorry," Johnny said, smiling slightly. "Hey, do you, have any music?"

"Radio's all yours, if you want it."

And Johnny didn't need to be told twice. He fiddled around a little until he found a classic rock station he enjoyed, then laid back in his seat as the songs wafted through the car. Nothing to do now but wait until he reached the lion's den.


Johnny's jaw dropped shamelessly at the sight of Ultra Magnus' estate. It didn't occupy the land so much as it towered over it, a titan of metal and glass easily three stories high stretched over at least an acre of land. Compared to his house, it was practically a palace.

"Whoa... they – they live here?" He gasped in disbelief. He'd seen pictures of houses like this, but in person it something else entirely.

"Yep. Nice place, huh?" Smokescreen quipped, transforming back into his giant robot form. "Come on, buddy. No point in turning back now." The two walked side by side up to the front door, and Smokescreen shoved it open and ushered Johnny inside. The inside of the mansion was just as massive and extravagant as the outside, with expensive-looking furniture and paintings as far as the eye could see.

Johnny didn't know where to look – there seemed to be something new and even more amazing every time he turned his head. "This place is, is..." He fumbled about for the right word. "It's huge! You could, could get lost in here!"

"Oh, people have," Smokescreen laughed. Johnny shot him a bewildered look. "No, seriously, it's happened before. Fortunately, you just so happen to have an escort who knows this place like the back of his hand. This way, if you would." He finished proudly before beginning down a hallway, forcing Johnny to follow.

"Do you, uh, live here?" Johnny asked.

Smokescreen laughed again. "I wish! I just work here. I'm the night guard, actually. I make sure nobody gets in or out of here who shouldn't. Gives me a lot of practice with these hallways."

"In, I get, but out?"

Smokescreen's face twisted into something Johnny couldn't quite recognize. "Josh, uh, used to try and run away when he was younger. I don't think he or Magnus be happy with me talking about it too much." Apparently that was all Smokescreen was willing to say on the matter, because he clammed up once he'd finished speaking.

The resulting silence made Johnny feel deeply uncomfortable, so he forced himself to keep talking. "...Right. So, Josh and Mr. Magnus wanted to, thank me. That's why, why I'm here, right?"

Smokescreen nodded. "They're not the only ones. Josh actually has quite a few friends who're itching to meet you." He turned to beam downward at the human walking beside him. "Like me."

Johnny turned up to Smokescreen with widened eyes, and the Autobot chuckled. "Hey, don't look so surprised. It's why I volunteered to pick you up. I wouldn't miss the chance to meet the guy who saved my best friend!"

The human looked confused. "Really? You'd do that, for me?"

"Why wouldn't I? Doesn't cost me anything."

"It costs time," Johnny retorted gently.

"But it's time well spent," Smokescreen countered, and Johnny fell silent. In his spark, Smokescreen felt a little confused himself. He'd expected the boy to be flattered that people wanted to meet him so badly. Instead he'd looked like... like he didn't understand the concept. Maybe he'd ask about it later, when he got the chance.

"Are... are we almost there?" Johnny spoke up after a while, just as they began ascending another staircase.

"Yeah, almost," came the answer. Indeed, within a couple more minutes Smokescreen came to a stop next to a door. "Here we are. Gimme a second," The Autobot instructed the young man, and then rapped lightly against it. "Hey, Josh, it's Smokescreen! I'm back with Johnny!"

"Awesome! Come on in," a voice, young but cheerful-sounding, called from beyond the door. The Autobot turned to his guest and beckoned with one hand.

"After you, little buddy."

Johnny stepped inside obediently, and when he saw the interior of the room he couldn't help but stare. "Whoa..." This room – a bedroom – was gigantic! It had to be twice the size of his own, at least. The walls were painted in soft gray and blue hues and adorned with all sorts of posters and pictures of people Johnny didn't recognize. There was a TV hanging from the far wall with a few game systems hooked up to it, a desk positioned nearby, and a number of bookshelves scattered around the perimeter. It was so different from Johnny's bedroom; it was full, whereas his was a bit empty.

"Looks good, doesn't it?"

The sudden, new voice caught Johnny off guard, and he yelped loudly and stumbled around in an effort to find the source. Twisting around, he saw a bed, sturdily built of wood and fitted in soft-looking blue sheets. Laying in those sheets – and looking quite taken aback – was a familiar young man.

"Whoa, it's okay! It's okay. It's just me," Josh spoke, holding his hands up in front of him to placate his frightened guest. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

At that, Johnny felt the tension start to flow out of his body. "Oh... no, I'm sorry," he replied, still a little frazzled. "I'm not – not really used to... to..." Johnny trailed off, snapping his fingers in a vain attempt to expedite his brain. Josh continued to watch, somewhat concerned.

After a few seconds, Johnny forced himself to start over. "...I'm not really used to, um, other people," he finally finished. "You're Josh, right?"

"...Yeah, that's me," Josh nodded, allowing the change in topic to Johnny's relief. "I take it you're Jonathan. Hang on – Smokes called you Johnny, do you prefer that?"

"Greatly," Johnny nodded, then fell silent, unsure of how to continue. Eventually, he forced himself to keep talking, to fill the void. "You look... not pale now."

Josh snorted, clearly amused. "Yeah, thanks! First couple of days I looked like scrap, felt like it too. But I got better really quickly after my fever broke, and Doc Knock cleared me to come home yesterday. Dad's making me stay in bed for a little while longer though, but I got plenty to do and my friends have been visiting a lot, so at least I'm not bored."

"That's – that's nice," Johnny said. It was interesting, looking at Josh now as opposed to when he was half-out of it on the pavement. His skin, once white as a ghost, now showed its natural tan, and his face and musculature made him look much more tough than when he was ill. "I'm just glad, you're alright."

"Well, I can't take credit for that," Josh replied, looking at Johnny with gratitude and – was that respect? "Seriously, if you hadn't been around the park when you were, I could've died there, and no one would have known until it was too late."

Johnny's eyes widened. "Really? I'm sure someone would have come..."

"Yeah, well they didn't. You did. I'm here cause of you." Josh sat up to look the other boy in the eye. "I owe you one, Johnny. A huge one."

Johnny had no idea how to react to that. He'd occasionally helped out other people in the past, but never like this. Never saving somebody's life. Besides, he'd done something good for this person, and now they were doing something good for him. Shouldn't that have been it? Were they not even now? Did he have some kind of life debt over this guy now? Was that how these things worked?

The whole thing was hurting his head, so he decided to change the subject. "So, um-" Johnny cleared his throat. "Josh, didn't Mr. Magnus – your dad want... want to thank me too? Where is he?"

"Oh, he's still at work," Josh answered simply. "He wanted to be here when you came around, but some stuff came up. He said he'd definitely be back before dinner though, so you'll catch him if you stick around here. Is that okay with you?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. What do we do, until then?"

"I've got plenty of games to play," Josh answered. Then he grinned. "You like Smash Bros?"

"Which one?"

"The newest one," Josh replied. "You like that one?"

"I – I play it frequently," Johnny said, starting to feel more comfortable. Of course, he didn't really play with other people, but...

"I've got all the characters and stages, even the DLC."

"...Can I make some customizations?" Johnny asked.

"Sure, why not?" Josh shrugged. "Oh, hang on a second." He turned to face his bedroom door, cupping a hand around his mouth. "Hey, Smokescreen! If you're out there, we're gonna Smash! You want in?"

Almost instantly, Smokescreen leaned into the room. "When would I not? Let's get it on!"

"Wait, wait, hang on," Johnny interrupted suddenly. "Isn't he... isn't he a little too – too big to play?"

Smokescreen simply smiled. "Not for long."

Suddenly, some of Smokescreen's plating opened up, releasing a strange haze of... something. Before Johnny's bewildered eyes, the haze shaped itself into a humanoid form. When its configuration was complete, a shell of blue light wrapped around the form, creating details such as clothes, eyes, and even hair. At last, the light changed color, revealing a tall, white-haired man dressed in black pants and a blue jacket with yellow trim.

"That oughta do it," the man spoke, in Smokescreen's voice. "How do I look?"

"Great as always, Smokes," Josh chuckled.

"No way... is that – is that a holoform?" Johnny gasped. He slid forward to get a closer look. "Nanomachines wrapped, in a holographic shell," Johnny mumbled softly to himself, then stated more loudly, "I've never seen one, not up close."

"Well, I'm honored to be your first," Smokescreen smiled. "So... Smash?"

...

"The winner is... Shulk!" The announcer called as the Monado-wielding Homs struck a victorious pose on the screen. Off to the side, Ryu and Lucas (played by Josh and Smokescreen, respectively) clapped in consolation.

"Whoa, third win in a row!" Smokescreen exclaimed, looking admirably at his new human friend. "You've got a streak going, Johnny!"

"It's that damn Vision," Josh grumbled slightly. "I keep attacking into it."

"Try using more regular attacks," Johnny suggested. "They come out, uh, a little faster than Ryu's spe – specials. Harder to read."

Josh nodded after a moment of consideration. "Yeah, I'll try that. Thanks, man." The three started up another fight, and in the middle of it Josh spoke up again. "You said you play this game a lot?"

"It's not my favorite, but yeah," Johnny replied. "My favorite game is, it's Splatoon."

"I have that game," Josh said. "I don't play it a whole lot, but it's fun when I do."

"I've played it too," Smokescreen added. "I like using the Roller."

"I prefer the Blaster," Johnny admitted. "I like its, damage and spreading power."

"If you guys want, we could play it after this round," Josh offered. "Take turns playing online."

"Sounds good to me," Smokescreen grinned.

"Really? Is that okay?" Johnny asked, receiving an odd look from Josh.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Josh responded. "I did offer, remember?"

"But I don't... never mind," Johnny started, then stopped himself. "Sounds fun."

Josh and Smokescreen exchanged glances, but said nothing further. If Johnny wasn't in the mood to speak, they weren't about to pressure him.

Even though they were both certain that something was wrong with him.

...

An hour or so later, the three had moved on from Smash Bros and were busy making a inky mess. As the most experienced Splatoon player, Johnny was the best by far, but Josh and Smokescreen held their own as well, and none of them won every game.

Case in point, Josh had just finished a Turf War on Blackbelly Skatepark that ended in a crushing defeat. "That didn't go well," Johnny commented to the smoldering blonde.

"Yeah, it didn't!" Smokescreen laughed. "Remember when he super jumped straight into an Inkstrike? That was great!"

"Hey, your turn's coming up," Josh replied, passing the Gamepad to Johnny. "I'd like to see you do better, Smokes."

"Oh, I'll gladly show you how it's done," Smokescreen smirked.

"You three seem to be enjoying yourselves."

A sudden, deep voice caused Josh and Smokescreen to look up joyfully whilst Johnny's nerves flared up again. He recognized that voice.

Standing in the doorway, sporting an amused smile, was an Autobot that Johnny had never met in person but had seen on TV and in the occasional magazine and news article. He was just as tall and powerfully-built in person as he was on camera, radiating an air of sheer authority and control. It was honestly strange, seeing a smile on his face, but in person it seemed to fit very well.

Smokescreen and Josh spoke up simultaneously. "Welcome home, sir." "Hey, Dad!"

"Hello, soldier. You feeling well?" Magnus walked over to Josh's bedside and knelt down next to him with a surprising gentleness.

"Actually, yeah. A lot better," Josh nodded, and his father seemed relieved. "I've just been hanging out with Smokescreen and Johnny for the past couple hours. Nothing strenuous."

"I'm glad to hear that." Magnus then looked up and scanned the room, optics finally settling on Johnny. "As for you, youngling, you must be Jonathan. It's wonderful to meet you."

"...You too," Johnny eked out, his voice barely audible.

"I'm sorry?" Magnus asked, leaning in closer. Johnny felt himself lock up under the Autobot's gaze, and his own eyes fell toward the floor.

"I said... I said it's - it's nice to, to, to meet you too." He forced himself to speak, and the words tumbled out in a stammer. His hand raised up toward his head once more, and this time he didn't stop it. Damn it, why did he have to be so scared?

"Uh, no offense, but I think you're freaking him out, boss," Smokescreen cut in suddenly. Johnny turned toward him in surprise, and the Autobot gave him a firm nod.

"Yeah, don't be scared, Johnny," Josh reassured the boy in soft tones. "My dad's a great guy. He's not gonna hurt you, not after what you did."

Their words penetrated Johnny's frightened shell and mollified him slightly. He was still scared, no doubt about it, but the fact that they'd come to his aid like that... it felt good. And it made him feel stronger.

Johnny took a few deep breaths and turned to face Ultra Magnus head-on, allowing his hand to drop. "It's nice, to meet you too." The words came easier that time; not perfectly, but well enough to satisfy him.

Apparently, Magnus was delighted as well, for Johnny could see some of the tension leave his face, replaced by... something he couldn't make out. "I apologize for not being here when you arrived, young man. I have an... unpredictable career," The Autobot leader admitted. "I take it my son and his friend behaved appropriately?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Johnny asked, looking to Josh and Smokescreen for an explanation – and they pointedly turned away sheepishly. "We've just been play – playing games together. They've been, uh, really nice to me."

Magnus nodded approvingly. "Has Josh spoken his piece yet?"

"It was one of the first things I did, actually," Josh answered.

"Then I suppose it's my turn." Magnus faced Johnny, eyes gleaming with an intensity Johnny had never seen before in anybody. "Jonathan, you may not have realized what were doing at the time, but you saved the life of somebody very close to my spark. Somebody I don't know what I would do without, and believe me, I don't say that lightly. As an Autobot, I could thank you, reward you greatly." Then, his entire face changed; what was once a serious mask glowed with joy and gratitude the likes of which Johnny had never seen. "But as a father, I could never thank or reward you enough."

Once again, Johnny found himself intimidated, but he recovered quickly this time. "It was, really no problem. Josh said that, um, he could've died if I wasn't... there. Is that true?"

"Died?" Magnus turned toward Josh, who sighed in amusement.

"Alright, maybe I was being a little melodramatic," Josh confessed. "But seriously, who knows what would've really happened to me? For all I know, I could've been right on the dot.

"Speaking of which," the youth turned toward his father. "Dad, can I head out to the races with Bee and Smokes this Saturday? I think I'm good to go now."

Magnus considered his son's proposal briefly before replying. "We'll see how you feel by Thursday, and then I'll decide. I don't intend to send you out if you aren't prepared."

"Hang on, races?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, there's this track in another part of Iacon," Josh explained. "I've been going there for years now. I'm actually pretty close with some of the racers there, so I get some real nice perks."

"One of the racers is my brother. His name's Bluestreak," Smokescreen added. "I don't usually go, but I don't have anything to do this weekend and he's supposed to be in the race this time, so I figured I'd tag along."

Johnny nodded in understanding, before a certain piece of information resurfaced for him. "Wait... the race is Saturday?"

"Uh, yeah?" Josh replied, looking confused.

"This Saturday? October fourteenth?"

"That's what I said. Why?"

"Huh," Johnny thought aloud, half-aware of the smile creeping up on his face. "That's, my birthday."

Josh and Smokescreen's faces lit up in excitement. "Hey, good for you!" Smokescreen cheered. "How old you gonna be?"

"Sixteen."

"Same as me then, huh?" Josh laughed. "Your parents getting you a car?"

Johnny visibly deflated at the mention of his mother and father. They'd never been home for his birthday so far, and he'd received no indication that this year would break that streak. "I... No, I don't think – don't think that's gonna happen," he said, his demeanor suddenly gloomy.

"Oh! Uh... sorry, buddy," Josh replied, taken aback by the other boy's mood swing. "I didn't mean to... you know, make you feel bad." Suddenly, his eyes lit up with excitement. "Hey, you wanna come along?"

"Along?" Johnny said, confused.

"Where else? To the race!" Josh crowed. "It's on your birthday, and you're gonna be sixteen this year. You deserve a treat! What do you say?"

"Oh! Uh..." Johnny's eyes widened, and any words he might have spoken trailed off into nothing. He hadn't been expecting any sort of further invitation. "I'm not sure..."

"Why? You got other plans?" Josh asked.

Johnny thought about that question. Over the years, his birthdays had sunken into a comfortable if predictable routine; sometime during the day he'd receive a call from his parents wishing him a happy day from wherever they were – Dad was usually on Earth teaching other humans in universities about Cybertronian culture, while Mom was usually commuting around the planet as needed for her job as executive assistant to some governor whose name Johnny could never remember. The most he ever received from them as a present was a few hundred extra credits to spend as he pleased.

Later in the afternoon, the Velgers – Johnny's neighbors from a few doors down – would drop by his house with a cake and some real presents, and they'd celebrate for a few hours. They'd actually taken him bowling last year, so maybe they were planning something similar this time as well.

So the honest answer to Josh's question was probably something like 'Nothing I can't reschedule with a little time and effort.' If anything, the Velgers would likely be overjoyed that Johnny had found friends to celebrate his day with. And as nervous about the idea as Johnny was, he really didn't feel like lying.

"Soldier?" Magnus spoke up, bringing Johnny back into reality. "You've been quiet for a while. Is everything alright?"

"Sorry, just thinking," Johnny replied slowly, as if expecting somebody to call him out on his hesitation. "I think – I think I'm free to go, but I'd... like to make sure first."

"Sounds good," Josh nodded. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand nearby, pressed a few things, and then extended it to Johnny. "Here, put in your number, then gimme your phone so I can do the same for you."

Johnny did as Josh requested, then unlocked his phone and gave it to the other boy. He got it back quickly. "I'll call you on Thursday, let you know if I've got the green light," Josh continued. "And if I do, then I'll pick you up Saturday at three or so. Got it?"

"...Right. Okay," Johnny nodded.

And that was it. No going back now.

The next chapter will be coming out slower, FYI - I wrote these two together before posting them.

Tomorrow's Hero, signing out.