The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 361)
=0=Down there
They drank beer as they watched the evening news. It wasn't what it would've been between them ordinarily but it wasn't bad or hard as Ratchet thought it would be. The news was the usual mix of local and Cybertronian information. The Cybertronian news was hard for Ironhide to hear, that was clear. Then it also became clear that the bond link he'd shared with Ironhide for the lifetime of some stars wasn't there. It felt like someone had stolen his internals for a moment before he suppressed it.
By the time the news was over, Ratchet stood. He gathered the beer bottles between them, then put them down the chute nearby. Turning to Ironhide, he considered him. "You have two choices. Recharge here on the couch or in your usual place. Its up to you."
Ironhide stared at the beautiful stranger standing before him. He had a feisty personality filled with amusement and concealed steel. Rising himself, he grinned. "Lead on."
Ratchet turned without comment and walked toward the hallway that led into half of the huge apartment.
Ironhide followed him.
=0=Up there
Kes and Tagg walked out, giving their goodbyes and assurances to their son that they would return after everyone had some much needed recharge. The door closed, then he turned back to the tense winger standing behind him. He felt out of his depth a moment, then stepped closer. "What would you like to do now, Prowl? I will do whatever you wish."
Prowl stared at him, then glanced around with a flustered air. "I think … I want to do what makes you feel comfortable. I understand how odd this must be for you."
"And you," Orion said.
Prowl stared at him then went for broke. "We have a suite."
Orion considered that. "I would like to see it."
Prowl considered that surprising statement, then glanced around. "Then follow me." He began to cross the huge living room for the hallway nearby.
Orion followed him tensely.
They passed a number of rooms including a huge office.
Prowl slowed. "This entire penthouse floor is our apartment. It was created by the colony out of respect and appreciation for you."
"The entire floor?" Orion asked with surprise.
Prowl nodded then slowed. "We have a number of suites for guests given this is a primal residence. We have a lot of amenities that were designed for our family. There's a swimming pool, a number of family activity rooms including this one," he said taking a chance. He turned down a corridor then walked to a door at the end of the hallway far away.
When Prowl reached it, he opened the door, then they walked inside. The room was huge and in the middle on a number of tables arranged in a horseshoe shape was a diorama of cities, towns, natural areas of Cybertron and places Orion didn't know as well as lakes and rivers. Orion looked around the room and noted that there were shelves with various trains and vehicles placed on them.
"This is a train set that our son Rambler got for a holiday and you work with him and our two other older sons to create a place to run them," Prowl said as he picked up a remote and pressed a button. A train on the table began to move along a single rail track, a typical Cybertronian feature.
Orion stepped forward to look closer. It was fascinating to him, this whole set up. "The children … they like this a lot?"
"They love it," Prowl said. "They love to play here with you. You've built all of this together. You spend time in the gamer shops looking for things for the diorama and the trains. The cars are a new part of this."
Orion watched the train circle the diorama, then turned to Prowl. "I see."
Prowl wavered a moment, then stopped the train. "If you come this way," he said, then walked to the door to the hallway.
Orion followed him as he continued onward turning a couple of times down different hallways until they came to big double doors. Prowl opened them and walked in with Orion following.
Orion slowed to take in the room. It was huge, beautifully appointed, had an enormous berth and a huge wash rack nearby. On the walls were family photos of children, adults and himself. The images that included Prowl also included others, genitors, children and him. It was beautiful, homely and out of his league by so many planetary diameters he would need a calculator to figure out how much.
"This is the room we share," Prowl said. He wanted to say more but it didn't come. Orion wasn't comfortable here. It was obvious. "I can show you a room nearby that you can use until we solve this problem. I only want your comfort and happiness."
Orion turned to him. "What about your own?"
Prowl stared at him memorizing his youthful features and the genuinely handsome face of the stranger before him. "That's irrelevant at the moment. You, the children and our people come first."
"I can imagine that you do that a lot, prioritizing yourself last," Orion said.
Prowl glanced around. "I'm a soldier. I have responsibilities and duties. If they don't get done then things happen that aren't always pleasant. I'm the continuity of our military."
"Nominus is Prime. Or was."
Prowl walked over to a couch and sat. "Nominus was murdered by Sentinel. Sentinel was a terrible Prime. All of them were but for you and Guardian. You were prophesied … 'The One Who Comes' and I believe it."
Orion walked over to a chair across from him and sat. "I do not know any of this. All I remember is how bad things were on the docks and how they were pushing us for more effort without paying us better. Life was getting difficult everywhere."
"Nominus was an incompetent and a caretaker Prime. He wasn't chosen by the Matrix. It wasn't even ascertained that the Matrix was in his possession until Sentinel had him assassinated. Before he died Sentinel tried to take the Matrix for himself and found out It was a fake," Prowl said.
"A fake?" Orion asked with surprise and shock.
Prowl nodded. "It was a fake. It was in hiding. It decided when Sentinel won the wrestling match for the next Prime to allow him to hold It until you came along. It never assisted him even if he was the bearer. It's holy and won't be a part of bad acting."
Orion nodded. "It is so." He thought a moment, considering the unhappy tense mech before him. "How did we meet?"
Prowl thought a moment. "Sentinel faked his own death so that he could leave Cybertron when things were really falling apart. He had a scheme to save it that required stealth and collaboration with the enemy. When it was clear a new Prime was needed, the Council of the Ancients who hold the Matrix between Primes was scheming to put a puppet in place when you and Megatron burst into the High Councilor Chamber and argued about what should happen next. Megatron wanted It for himself and made threats. You wanted a better life and hope for everyone. You were selfless about what should come next. I was there and saw you. It was then that the Matrix raised up from Its hiding place and chose you. You were bonded to It like the old orns with Guardian. It was was true moment.
"I was there and it bowled me over, but you were still a civilian and would need to be taught everything immediately. I had no hope. I was sub-commander to the Prime from Nova Prime to Sentinel and none of them were worth a trip to the smelting pit. You, however. surprised me."
"How?" Orion asked.
"You came in with Ironhide and you asked good questions, you listened intently, you were willing to be wrong and you were willing to ask for help and admit you didn't know everything already. Things were falling apart fast and you rose to the occasion. It was a … a miracle," Prowl said. He stared at Prime. "From the first moment I saw you I loved you," he said softly. "It was just like that."
Orion considered the words and the proper aura of the mech before him. It wasn't typical of Prowl to disclose things like this, it was evident to him. "And I?"
Prowl stared at him, then nodded. "It was the same for you."
"Then we have been together like this from that time forward?" Orion asked.
Prowl stared at him, then began to laugh. He laughed, then gazed at the surprised and slightly offended youngster. "Don't be angry. Neither of us felt we could do anything about our feelings. We were essential equipment and put the responsibility and the war, our people and all of it first. We didn't get together and openly express ourselves until we came to this solar system a few years ago. All that time we didn't say a word. We were both … inept in that department."
Orion considered that, then grinned slightly. "I agree." He sat back and looked around. "I have never been in such a place before."
"I know. Your home in The Jumble survived the war and is going to be a historical preservation site. No one will ever forget that the greatest Prime in the history of Cybertron came from humble beginnings, yet rose to be all that would ever be needed," Prowl said.
"And you?" Orion said.
"You don't see my tattoos?" Prowl asked with a slight tinge of bitterness.
"I did but I feel that is your story to tell," Orion said.
Prowl sat back, then vented a sigh. "I come from old money and power. I come from dynastic bonds and all of the coldness and unearned privilege that the System could supply. My family didn't walk on the ground. That would be too pedestrian. They floated on someone else's effort and their own entitlement.
"I was told that your family is here," Orion said.
Prowl nodded. "They are. I used to alternate between pity and hate for them, but they've changed completely in the Diaspora and we're reconciled, thank Primus. They never understood how much I hated the caste system and how I wanted to be free. Sometimes even golden cages can be a prison. I became a cop, then joined the army to serve our people." He grinned faintly. "You could say I overcompensated."
Orion shrugged faintly. "You could also say you are conscientiously following your spark's desire. There is no dishonor in that. If you did not or could not see the plight of others with anything less than disdain, then you could feel poorly about yourself now. Redemption and change are honorable. I do not think you deserve such self reproaches given all I know thus far."
Prowl stared at him. "You were always good, even as a young mech. You're so profoundly good and brilliant. I look at your genitors and feel a sense of awe. I want to thank them everyday for you. Finding and having you saved me from despair."
It was silent a moment, then Orion stood. "Where do you wish me to recharge, Prowl?"
Prowl stared at him for a moment as turmoil swept through him. "Beside me."
Orion stared at Prowl, then held out his servo.
Prowl stared at him, then rose. He gripped Orion's strong servo, then squeezed it gently. He glanced at the berth, then walked to his side. He sat down, then waited with a flustered sense of unease.
Orion walked to his side, sat, then lay back to relax into the best and most comfortable bed he never knew existed until now. He glanced at Prowl, then Prowl lay back. The winged mech called the lights down and then it was silent.
Prowl stared at the ceiling a moment, then turned on his side. He lay against Orion with his arms around his big body. Slowly, Orion slipped his arm around Prowl's body and pulled him closer to his own. They would fall into recharge eventually.
=0=Down there
Ratchet walked in, then found his side of the berth. He sat down, then lay back. "Better hustle, Ironhide. Tomorrow is another day of slag."
Ironhide grinned at the big beautiful mech laying there, then sat down to lay back himself. The lights were called down, then both were silent.
"Ironhide?"
He glanced at the figure beside him. "What?"
Ratchet grinned. "The first one who gets to sleep whistles."
Ironhide would laugh a long time before falling into recharge.
Ratchet would take a lot longer.
=0=TBC 8-23-2020