He never went back to those Carers and he spent most of the time with his Sire from that point onwards, the large mech was able to work from home and when he wasn't able to Cobra was allowed to come along, though he was stuck in the sparkling hold and couldn't come out till they were home again.
At first he didn't mind as it hid him from the stares that always followed him whenever he was outside and his Sire's sparkling hold was a lot bigger than his carriers so he was able to take a Vid-Pad in there sometimes if he didn't want to curl up and sleep.
Sometimes he heard other voices.
No face-plates to the voices and they sounded friendly enough. Social protocols for sparklings were as strong as Vosian flight protocols and Cobra wanted to talk to them.
His Sire's refusal to let him out except to refuel in the confines of his office began to fill him with restless energy.
"Ohey 'Wire, long time no see my mech." Cobras helm tilted as he registered the emotive glyphs. No one in his abode called his Sire Wire, which must indicate friendship if his sparkling protocols and vid-files were to be believed.
"Farjumper it's good to see you. Hows the latest upgrade to the Vetrocomplex coming along?"
Cobra imagined the mech waving his sire off like a friend would and his tiny audial horns quivered with excitement. Surely his sire would let him meet a friend?
"Oh it's the same old glitch, Metrohammers having a field day with all the paper work that he has to make for me to sign it." the friend-mech laughed happily.
Cobra tapped gently on the sparkling holds cover and his sire sent a pulse through it. Cobra frowned at the rebuttal but tapped again anyway. A firmer pulse.
-Why sire?- he sent over the creator bonds.
-Not safe- was the response and Cobra felt the first thread of unease through his spark at the refusal. -Stay hidden-
He settled uncomfortably in the now stifling sparkling hold and tried to tune out the happy mechs voice.
"...Anyway Shamble and I were wondering if you and Lightburn wanted to come over for some high-grade at some point? Feels like metro-vorns since we all caught up together."
"I'm not sure if that would be wise Farjumper… Things are complicated right now."
"Surely a mutated sparkling can't stop the two of you having a little fun? When was the last time you saw the sky? Really saw it? Mech I think you need this…"
-Mutated sire?- he sent, not understanding the unfamiliar glyph and his social protocols were now demanding him to follow the conversation again.
His sire had gone rigid and the friendliness that Cobra had been basking in was gone from his field, leaving only cold, hard anger.
"Mutated?" Tripwire gritted out and Farjumper paused, wings darting backwards in surprise behind his frame at the sudden threatening cant of the larger mechs.
"Aw mech I meant nothing by it, everybot knows that your sparking didn't go so well which is why no ones seen it… I mean I only heard about it from the…"
Sparking didn't go well… the glyph must not have been a nice one. He was mutated? What did it mean? Cobra clicked in distress. What was wrong with him?
There was silence from outside the hold
"I think that I am done with this conversation Farjumper." His sire's field was like the broken energon pods on cleaning adverts, jagged and sharp. The swaying motion that indicated walking paused before his sire said "And for your own records, please refrain from referring to my sparkling as an it or a mutation. His designation is Cobra and he will be respected.
"Carrier?"
"Yes brightspark?" Had his creators smile always been so tired looking? He had only ever noticed the love and care in his field.
"Whats wrong with me?"
Lightburns smile grew rigid and his optics widened in distress. He dropped the plating-stitch he was working on and hurried over to the sparkling, grabbed him by the scruff-bar and tucked him against his chest-plating. His carrier was so warm and soft, but the question had been bothering him all day so he resisted the urge to snuggle into it.
"Oh Cobra, there is nothing wrong with you dearspark." Lightburn attempted to nuzzle Cobras helm but the sparkling held himself away.
"What does mutated mean?" he asked, soft plating serious, an unnatural look on a sparkling.
"Where did you hear that word?" Lightburns wings flapped slightly in distress and social protocols filed the response away.
"There was a mech at sires occupation." He clicked, "I wasn't allowed to see him."
Lightburn forced his field to calm though energon bubbled in his optics in understanding. "It's not a word that you need to worry yourself on sweetspark. It was an unkind thing said by a mech that doesn't understand…"
"You and sire always say that." Cobra clicked dully, fears confirmed by the typical creator attempt to soothe away the unkindness with yet more words about how it was the other mechs fault and not his. Never his. He felt tired. "Can you let me down now carrier? I want to go recharge now." He avoided the next attempted helm nuzzles until his carrier complied and he crawled away and climbed into his berth.
Chapter 3. Hope it was enjoyed. Constructive feedback would be appreciated.