Author's Note: Keep in mind when you read this that I wrote it just for fun. Yes, Offbeat's a kid in this and acts just like a little kid. Why? Because I work with first graders and I'm going to college to become an elementary education teacher here soon. They're just so cute! I love the way their little minds work, how they see the world and how they can say the strangest things. So cute. So, I wrote this for my little Offbeat and Sunny cause I love him too. I think I actually like Sunny as much as Siders. Why I have no idea but there's just something about him I just gotta love about him! That and it's funny to see a fluffy side to him. Even if it's not much of one. ;)
Hide and Seek, Uncle Sunny?
"Hey Daddy, will you play wif me?" Offbeat asked as he trotted behind Jazz's large feet to keep up. "Rhap wont play and Uncle Hound is out on patrol and Uncle Sideswipe's missing his arm again. I can't go into Mommy's shop 'cause there's no floor…and-"
Jazz stopped, Offbeat running into his heels as he didnt expect him to stop so suddenly. "'Beat, I wish I could, but ya know I gotta go work." Jazz lowered himself to Offbeat's level and returned the small mech to his feet with a sigh. "I'm sure some of th' guys are off t'day, why don'tcha go find someone. Maybe even Uncle Ratchet."
Offbeat made a face and shook his head, "repair bay smells funny and Uncle Ratch said I'm not 'llowed. Just cause I painted the computer that one time…"
"Well, sorry kiddo but I gotta go. You can kind somebody, I'm sure." Jazz said, rubbing the top of Offbeat's helm affectionately before getting back to his feet and heading to the control room.
The little mech watched his dad leave sadly, his head hitting his chest in his pout. All he wanted was someone to play with, it didn't seem like a big request. Unfortunately, war had a way of taking childhood away in the blink of an eye. Offbeat kicked at a rock and shuffled back down to his room. Maybe if he bribed his brother well enough he could get a playmate.
His hand trailed down the hallway walls coming to rest on each door. Maybe Uncle Bluestreak? Naw. He talked too much. Uncle Prowl? No…he couldn't take another lesson in chess. Uncle Sunstreaker? That had possibilities. He did have a present to give him that he had ever since Uncle Sideswipe left to go to repair bay. Uncle Sunstreaker was always sad when Uncle Sideswipe was away.
With a nod of enthusiasm, Offbeat stopped at the door and jumped up and down to try to reach the lock. Uncle Sideswipe gave him the password, so he might as well use it.
Well, technically, Offbeat had memorized the numbers after Uncle Sideswipe opened it a while back…
The door opened as the last sequence was keyed in, reveling his Uncle Sunstreaker sitting down with a magazine in front of his face. The big yellow warrior was reclined back with his feet kicked up on a table. Various "Hot Rod" car magazines littered the table and empty cans of energon leaking onto the floor panels. Grinning to himself, Offbeat tried to tip toe over to the yellow warrior in an attempt to scare him, his feet barely making a sound. The boy had his father's abilities after all. Not that Sunstreaker couldn't hear him though.
"Boo!" The mechlet giggled and pounced on his foot, grabbling with the limb. "I gottcha, huh Uncle Sunstreaker? I gottcha, huh?"
Sunstreaker just lowered his magazine slowly, a scowl coming into view as the paper was removed.
"Hey, Uncle Sunstreaker? Willya play wif me? Sparkplug gave me a ball, wanna play? Peeeeeeze?" His optics were big and blue, a slight 'puppy-dog pout" across his lips.
"Go find someone else to bother, kid. I don't play." Sunstreaker growled, picking him off his leg as if he were some kind of deadly disease.
Offbeat looked completely oblivious to the cringe on Sunstreaker's face. "Peeze? Uncle Sideswipe'd play wif me," he whinned, wiggling in his grip.
"I'm not Sideswipe." He dropped him on the floor with a clang.
Offbeat got up and put his hands behind his back. Sunstreaker could have sworn he saw devil horns suddenly sprout from his helm.
"But yer twins! Daddy tol' me you were. Peeeeze? I gotchya a present! If I give it to ya, will ya play?"
"Depends on what it is."
Offbeat quickly brought the present out and held it out for inspection. "See? I get you wax. I know you like to look shiny."
The yellow warrior looked at the bottle carefully, tilting it upside-down. "Where'd you get this, short stuff?
Offbeat fidgeted, "Uncle Tracks…"
"You took it from Tracks?" Sunstreaker looked at the young mech with renewed pride. It took guts to go near Tracks, much less steal from him.
"Not take. Replaced."
"What did you replace it with?"
Offbeat shrugged, "Something in a big white bottle. I poured it in a empty bottle so Uncle Tracks wouldn't know."
Sunstreaker fought off the urge to laugh, knowing what Offbeat must have replaced it with was bleach. Boy was Tracks in for a surprise. If the kid hadn't have done it on accident, it could actually have been a good prank. Given some training, the kid could replace Sideswipe as the resident jokester.
"So ya gunna play wif me, Uncle Sunstreaker? Huh? Huh?" He hopped up and down eagerly.
"How's hide and seek?" Sunstreaker smiled a bit and set the magazine aside.
"Yeah! I'm a good hider!"
"Alright, I'll count to a thousand and come look for you."
His little head bobbled up and down, running into the twins' shared recharge chamber. Sunstreaker just watched him run off before he sat back in the couch. He'd look for him in a little while. Offbeat wiggled himself under Sunstreaker's bunk and curled up in the back. Uncle Sunny would never find him there! He giggled in anticipation and waited.
An hour passed.
Two hours passed.
"Hey Sunny," Jazz's voice startled him out of his snooze on the couch, "Ya seen 'Beat?"
Sunstreaker rubbed his optics and activated his comm. "Uh yeah…he's here with me."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a good thirty seconds. "You were watchin' 'Beat?"
"Shut up."
"Hey man, I was jus' kinda surprised. Can ya send him back ta our quarters?"
"Uh…yeah." Sunstreaker staggered to his room and looked about. Everything looked untouched and there was no sign of the miniature black and white mech.
Gingerly, Sunstreaker got on his hands and knees and looked in the most obvious place he could think of. Under the bed. Sure enough, there he was, snuggled up on his side sound asleep. He looked like a big black and white cat curled up like that. Gently, Sunstreaker reached under and pulled him out. Thankfully the kid was an amazingly deep sleeper.
He got to his feet slowly as to not wake the small bundle in his arms. "No one had better be out there," Sunstreaker groaned to himself. This would not look good with his reputation. Yet, he could help but smile at the feeling of something so small in his hands. He would never mention it to any one else, especially Sideswipe but…maybe the kid wasn't so bad. Offbeat shifted in his arms, putting one hand on his golden chest.
Sunstreaker froze. 'I gotta get this kid back before I go soft.'
With that the warrior made a beeline straight for Jazz and Jynx's quarters, making sure to take the long route to avoid the busier hallways. Once there, he gave the bundle to Jynx and quickly made his exit without a word despite her attempts to thank him.
As soon as he was back to his room, Sunstreaker slammed his door shut and leaned against the frame. That just felt too…weird. He wasn't sure what it was about that exchange but it…it. Weird.
Sunstreaker, rubbed his face with his hand. "Maybe I have a heart after all… I'll have to keep my distance from that."