CHAPTER 12
Daddy
Luke woke up the next morning feeling groggy and rather exhausted all at once. It had been a long day that he had spent with Riley previously and it had no doubt taken its toll on him. Yet still, the ten year old boy moved into his caretaker's berth room that morning as quiet as he could. Breakdown, as usual, was sound asleep, his optics offline, it always intrigued him to watch the giant robot in this oddly vulnerable state. Taking a deep breath, he slowly made his way forward, as usual, he found a finger dangling off the bed and poked it gently.
"Breakdowwwnnnnn." Luke whined quietly, Breakdown merely grunted, and turned onto his side.
Luke frowned quietly, turning his head a bit, he looked more than a little frustrated. It was usually a pain to get Breakdown up, and considering it was almost two in the afternoon, he couldn't help but get frustrated. He'd given his guardian ample time to wake up, or at least, he did in his own ten year old logic. What was he still doing in bed? Taking a deep breath, he made his way downstairs as carefully as he could. Of course, when you were ten, there was no such thing as subtlety, so the first thing Breakdown had woken to was less than pleasant.
SHATTER!
Breakdown jolted out of recharge with a start, rubbing the back of his helm slightly. Dragging himself down the stairs and into the kitchen, he tiredly rubbed his optic, and looked down at Luke. The boy was nearly covered in milk, which Breakdown couldn't help but groan at quietly, looking at his young son with a hand on his hip. "Couldn't wait for me to get up and feed ye, could you?" Breakdown grunted, noticing the time "Oh Primus, we slept in, didn't we?" He asked, carefully picking Luke up and setting him on the counter.
"You're not mad?" Luke questioned.
"Been over this before, small fry, I'd only ever be mad if you did something wrong." Breakdown commented as he began to clean off the soaked floor "I do, however, need to talk to you." Breakdown leveled his optics so that Luke would see he wasn't angry "Riley told me about the talk you two had last night." Luke looked down at that "And I'm here to tell you what you've grown up thinking? Was a load of bull." He noted.
Luke cocked an eyebrow quietly, but Breakdown merely waited for a reply. "What?" Luke questioned.
"You weren't found in a dumpster by those... Monsters, Luke." Breakdown shook his head "You probably wouldn't even remember where you were found. But I can honestly say that I know first-hand." He carefully, eyed the boy, who seemed confused "Because the first time I ever saw you, you were no bigger than the tip of my index finger." He noted, putting it up for emphasis "And no older than a week." He noted.
Luke stared blankly at his guardian, taking in what he'd just been told. "Are you my Dad?" Luke questioned.
Breakdown nearly pounded his head in for that one, he had almost forgotten that this was a ten year old he was talking to. "No, kiddo. Not like that. I found you when you were left." Breakdown explained, Luke's eyes widened "You were left on the doorstep of Autobot Base 4-1 Gamma: Jasper. And as far as I know, there was no dumpster that far out." He noted.
"But Daddy told me-"
"Stop calling that pit spawn that." Breakdown told his gently "He doesn't deserve that after what he put you through." He added calmly "He may have bathed you, changed your diapers, fed, and clothed you. But he is not your Father." He then noted "I can say that I did at least three of those things the night we found you myself." He noted.
Luke stared at Breakdown, for a moment, he thought it may have been a lie. But something in the way his guardian spoke about it told him that it was the truth. Luke fidgeted a little bit as the mech carefully took a towel and began drying him with it. "Why didn't you tell me?" Luke questioned "Why didn't you take me in?" He questioned.
"I tried having this conversation with you on twenty different occasions. But never found the right words." Breakdown explained, peering at Luke "And as for taking you in, are you kidding me kid? You were barely born, the Autobot bases are nowhere that a human infant belongs in." Luke was silent at that, but nodded understandingly "Though believe me, a part of me wanted to bend the rules just for those green eyes of yours." He laughed.
Breakdown couldn't believe he'd just admitted that out loud. Silently glad that his brother had obviously yet to arrive, if he ever would, he took a deep breath before his holoform poured the child a glass of milk. "We did share some quality time, though." Breakdown noted "You fell asleep drinking from a bottle I held, and I did change your diapers, three times." Breakdown held up three fingers for emphasis.
"That must have been fun." Luke teased.
"Oh yeah, a riot."
Sipping from his glass of milk, Luke peered over at Breakdown slowly, frowning a bit. "Why did they lie to me?" Luke questioned, Breakdown turned his head "Why did they tell me that my Mom threw me away because I was trash?"
Breakdown held back his anger at the emphasis the boy put on that last part. Taking in a deep fume of exhaust, he looked at Luke quietly. "Probably because they didn't want you to feel wanted. But truth was, I saw two more kids come in after you." Breakdown explained, peering at him quietly "None of them were left in your condition, so you were wanted by someone." He noted.
"Do you want me too?"
Breakdown frowned a bit, he almost didn't want to answer that because of how silly the question was. He'd told the boy that he loved him, told him this, yet he still didn't seem to grasp the fact that he wanted him more than anything. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't be your Dad right now if I didn't, now would I?" He leaned against the counter, and smiled with a wink "After all, a mech like me doesn't love a tiny little human like you too often, now do we?" He asked.
"...You're my Daddy?"
Breakdown wasn't so sure that he was ready for that word yet, he'd hoped to work up to the title. After all, it had only been barely a few months since the boy had been taken into his home, and well... The thoughts cut off as he looked into the boys tiny, and sad eyes, he took a deep breath. "Yeah, I guess it's about time you gave me that title." He poked the boy in the ribs gently "It's better than hearing you call that pit spawn that all day." He added.
The way Luke's lightened up at those words surprised the former Decepitcon greatly. Breakdown had never wanted to be a parent, yet somehow, he liked the way that it lit the boy up to know that. "Daddy?" Breakdown turned his head once again back to Luke, his optics softening "I'm still scared about that trial." He swallowed a little "He told me if I ever... Did that he'd kill me." He added.
"He'll have to tear me apart before he can even lay a forefinger on you." Breakdown slammed his fist against his chest slightly, for emphasis "You may not have been wanted by him Luke, but you're wanted by me. And you never, ever need to be scared as long as that's true." He then added "Us former 'Cons aren't afraid to fight for what we care about." He left out the fact that he meant that literally, out of fear of scaring Luke further.
"So after it you won't get rid of me?" Luke questioned.
Crouching low to look Luke right in the eyes this time, Breakdown rubbed his finger against the boy's leg gently. "This is your home, Luke. I will never get rid of you, you got that?" Breakdown was silent a moment "As far as I'm concerned, you're my sparking. And you have been since my friend set you in my arm ten years ago." He then added teasingly "We just had a few speed bumps along the way."
"Cool." Luke grinned happily "Daddy?" Breakdown gave a "hmmm?" look "I need to change, y'know. This isn't comfy."
Breakdown merely rolled his optic at the young boy's response, gently lifting him from the counter. He let the young boy run off towards his room as he took in what Luke had just called him. He was "Daddy" now, there was no more "Breakdown", just a single word that now meant there was a very special bond between them that he knew would be hard to break. He knew that in a few years, not too long given that Luke was already ten, he'd be "Dad". And then after that, after Luke had left home, who knew what he'd be.
But for now, oddly enough, Breakdown was content with being "Daddy". He hadn't thought he'd been ready for a title like that yet, but when it had come out of Luke's mouth it had made his spark skip a beat. Taking a deep breath, he heard the doorbell ring and knew immediately that his brother had arrived, grateful that it had been after he'd had this talk. He took a deep breath, and made his way towards the front door. He knew it was about time that Luke met his other family, but he could only hope that they would get along.
