Hello all! Sorry this took a little longer than the other chaps, darn finals are killing me! DX
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Sideswipe had been woken from recharge by many things: his brother, blaster fire, occasionally by Ratchet's grumbling after a battle had left Sideswipe comatose for a few hours.
The sound of a decidedly human yelp and metal crashing to the ground simultaneously was a new one.
It was admittedly a very effective way to get him awake.
Sideswipe was immediately on his pedes, running into the main room of his quarters while summoning one of his favored blades. He looked around wildly, searching for a Decepticon or some other form of infiltrator-
And found Koa on the ground, a mix of dazed confusion, alarm and embarrassment on his youthful face. Beside him was a tray of what must have been meant to be the boy's breakfast now splattered across the ground. The metal tray itself was dented, the plastic bowl and silverware scattered and the food smeared on the once clean floor, and some of the food (whatever it was, it looked like mush now) had managed to coat Koa's clothing. From what Sideswipe could gather, it looked like Koa had woken up early and decided to go grab breakfast and bring it back to their now shared quarters (whether because he was uncomfortable in the mess hall or simply decided to eat in his room was debatable). What Koa had apparently tripped on was a mystery.
For a long moment, the 'bot and the teen stared at each other.
Koa's face went bright red, and he scrambled to pick up the tray.
"S-sorry! I'm so sorry, brah, I didn't mean to wake you up! I really didn't!"
Sideswipe looked taken aback, then shook his helm, moving forward.
"Its okay kid, I-" Koa was still flustered. "Kid, relax! I'm telling you, its fine."
Koa paused, glancing up at the frontliner nervously.
"I'm...I'm really sorry, Sideswipe. I just wanted to have some breakfast, but I-"
"A little clumsy, huh?" Sideswipe teased gently, smiling as he knelt down. He canted his helm as he examined the food on the floor. "What is this stuff?"
Koa looked sheepish.
"It was just some cereal, but...I think I put in too much milk. It kinda turned to mush during the walk back here..."
Sideswipe's olfactory sensor wrinkled slightly.
"Oh that sounds appetizing."
Koa shrugged in a 'well what can you do' sort of way, expression still somewhat guilty as he grabbed the plastic bowl and utensils.
"It looked fine ten minutes ago."
Sideswipe only grunted, regarding the mess of mush and multi-colored milk that splattered the floor with a weary look. He then glanced at Koa, wincing at the downtrodden, nervous and guilty expression marring the young human's face. Scrap, that look could make even the most hardened soldier cave in...
"Look, uh...Just go ahead and get cleaned up. I'll handle..." He gestured to the mess on the floor pointedly. "Uh, yeah. Just...Just go get changed into something clean, alright? Then I'll take you down to the mess hall myself so you can grab something else to eat."
Koa looked up at the frontliner in surprise, appearing taken aback.
"But...Weren't you sleeping? I woke you up, right? You can go back to sleep, its only six-"
"Kid." Sideswipe interjected, giving the boy a look. "If I wanted go get some more recharge, I would've gone back to my berthroom already. Now go. You're all covered in mush and milk and stuff."
Koa slowly stood, nodding hesitantly.
"Uh...yeah. Okay."
Watching the boy sprint off to his room, Sideswipe's optics softened, a small smile tugging at his lip plates.
It was clear there would never be a dull day in his life as long as Koa was around.
After Sideswipe had cleaned up the ruined breakfast (and after Koa had cleaned up himself), the frontliner had carried through with his promise and took his new charge to the mess hall. It wasn't all too busy, as it was seven in the morning and almost all of the human soldiers on base ate at an earlier hour, all of them early-risers out of necessity (a habit many with military training gained). Only a few stragglers remained, though a 'bot were leaning on the back wall, seemingly waiting. Coming closer, Sideswipe quickly realized that the 'bot in question was Ironhide.
The two mech's met one another's optics, then Ironhide's gaze flicked to the human teen by Sideswipe's pede. Sideswipe glanced down as well, then his optics returned to his mentor after Koa wandered off in search of food. Ironhide raised a metal brow, and Sideswipe had the sinking suspicion that it was no coincidence that Ironhide was here. The weapon expert had been waiting for him. He wanted to talk with Sideswipe about something.
Sideswipe shifted uneasily as the weapon expert pushed away from the wall and moved forward. Once reaching Sideswipe, Ironhide crossed his arms casually.
"Figures th' on meetin' I miss is th' one where ya go an' decide t' take in a younglin'."
Sideswipe frowned, his optics averted from his mentor and adoptive sire.
"I didn't 'take in a youngling'. I'm just keeping an optic on him 'til this whole Soundwave business blows over."
Ironhide snorted.
"I know you, Sideswipe. I've raised ya since ya were seven vorns old. Ya don't look at that kid like he's jus' another job, ya don't even look at him like ya look at most humans." At Sideswipe's questioning look, the large mech explained, "Most humans ya look at with this weird expression of humor an' mistrust. But the way ya look at that boy..."
Ironhide turned his helm slightly, optics landing on the young ten who was deciding on what to eat. Sideswipe couldn't help but look at his young charge as well, and a slight smile curled at Ironhide's lip plates.
"Yeah. Ya look at him like that." Sideswipe blinked, turning back to Ironhide. The taller mech grinned, pointing at Sideswipe's face plates pointedly. "Ya get this real strange expression. Like ya can't figure th' kid out, but he still makes ya happy." He chuckled at Sideswipe's obvious embarrassment. "I used t' look at ya an' Sunstreaker th' same way when Chromia an' I took ya both in. Not that I knew tha' 'til Chromia pointed it out."
"Look, can you get to your point here?" Sideswipe snapped, refusing to look at the weapon expert, lest he offline of embarrassment. Ironhide let his arms fall to his sides as he shrugged.
"Simple. Ya care 'bout that kid more than ya'd like t' admit." A smirk. "Not tha' I mind. I can get used t' th' idea of havin' a human as a grandcreation-"
"Wha- No!" Sideswipe quickly protested, wide optics regarding Ironhide with a mixture of horror and anger. Several soldiers nearby looked up, and Sideswipe quickly lowered his voice. "Frag no! You're processor's finally giving out, old mech, if you think I'm gonna go and adopt the kid!" Ironhide raised a metal brow. "Don't look at me like that! I mean sure, Koa's a great kid, but he's my friend, and that's it. Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not one of those 'bots who goes and adopts a human. I'm just his guardian, and even that might only be until we find Soundwave."
Ironhide grunted, gaze turning away from Sideswipe as a smirk teased his lip plates.
"Well we'll jus' see how long tha' view of yers lasts."
Sideswipe scowled.
"Did you come here just to frag around?"
Ironhide chuckled slightly, shaking his helm.
"Nah. I really came here t' jus' let'cha know that if ya need any help with th' kid, ya can come talk t' me." Sideswipe sent the weapon expert a questioning glance, and Ironhide clarified, "I've had plenty of experience with human younglin's. Helped Will an' Sarah with Annabelle, after all."
Sideswipe paused, unsure of what to say. While he loathed to admit it, he knew almost nothing about how to take care of a youngling, let alone a human one. While Koa was by no means incapable of taking care of himself, he was still a child in the eyes of humans and Cybertronians alike, and still had specific needs. Finally, Sideswipe nodded once, the motion short and curt.
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
"Is everything okay?"
Sideswipe looked down, finding Koa standing at his pede with a tray. The boy gazed up at Sideswipe curiously with those bright grey eyes that made Sideswipe feel as if his very spark were being stared at. Sideswipe managed a grin.
"Yeah, was just talking with 'Hide here." He gestured at Ironhide. "This is Ironhide. He was on the mission to the island, I don't know if you remember-"
"I do." The two 'bots glanced at the boy in surprise. "I didn't get to talk with him, but I remember him. I...Uh...Was kinda nervous around him..." Koa admitted sheepishly, cheeks becoming a dusty red as he averted his eyes in embarrassment. Ironhide chuckled.
"I tend t' have tha' effect on people. But as long as ya ain' a 'con, ya don't have t' worry." Sideswipe watched warily as the large mech kneeled down. "Th' name's Ironhide. I hear Sideswipe's yer guardian now, eh?" Koa nodded hesitantly, and Ironhide smirked. "Try an' take it easy on him. He's never had t' look over a kid b'fore."
Sideswipe sent Ironhide an irritated glare, but Koa laughed. But Sideswipe couldn't deny he felt somewhat relieved that Ironhide had a soft spot for kids and knew how to handle them. Being greeted by a cannon wouldn't have been the best way for Koa and Ironhide to get acquainted. Koa seemed to be set at ease by Ironhide's amusing jab at Sideswipe's pride. Setting his tray on an empty table, the boy crossed his arms as he stared up at Ironhide.
"I'll play nice if he does."
Ironhide snorted in amusement, straightening up.
"This kid'll give ya a run fer yer money." Ironhide commented to Sideswipe. "I can tell."
Sideswipe rolled his optics.
"At least that means he can survive Sunny." Or at least hopefully, Sideswipe mused.
Ironhide grunted in acknowledgement.
"Fair enough. Might be a bit early t' introduce them t' one another formally, though." Sideswipe nodded, and Ironhide turned his attention back to Koa. "Yer a pretty decent kid, from what I saw on th' island an' from what I heard from Sideswipe on th' trip over." Koa appeared surprised that Sideswipe actually talked about him. "If any 'bot tries t' give ya trouble, ya come tell me, yeah?"
Satisfied once the boy nodded, Ironhide straightened back up.
"Good." A glance to Sideswipe. "I've gotta go now. Some new trainee's arrived last night an' I've gotta get t' trainin' them." The weapon expert looked to Koa. "I'll se ya aroun', kid."
Koa grinned up at the giant mech, all his wariness seeming to vanish in the presence of his rough-around-the-edges kindness.
"It was nice meeting you. Y'know, formally."
Ironhide inclined his helm and, giving Sideswipe a pat on the shoulder, left the mess hall. Koa and Sideswipe both watched the mech depart, and once the door slid shut, Koa looked up at Sideswipe curiously.
"He seemed pretty cool. Are you guys friends?"
Sideswipe couldn't help but laugh at that, a smirk curling at his lips as he turned to the teen.
"Kid, he's the mech who adopted Sunny and I."
Koa's eyes widened almost comically, but then nervousness colored his face, making concern grow inside Sideswipe. Glancing at the door through which Ironhide had left, Koa shifted uneasily from foot to foot.
"Did...Did I make a good impression, do you think?"
It was somewhat endearing that the young human was worried about impressing his adoptive-sire, and Sideswipe chuckled, a warm smile coming to his face plates.
"Don't worry kid. You did great. Now," The mech gestured to the tray on the table a few feet away. "Eat up. Before that turns to mush like it did last time."
A dry look from Koa as the boy moved to the table.
"These are waffles, Sideswipe. They don't turn to mush."