Wow. Almost a month since the last update. School sucked so bad this semester. So glad it's finally over. Hope everyone's ready for a nice little break now.
Chapter Fifteen: Hope
Starfall ran into the kitchenette unit of the domicile. The protomatter between the edges of his armor was still moist from his morning wash. He was hungry and the half cube of energon set out for him on the table was an extremely inviting sight. Both Optimus and Ironhide were already at the table. His father was already starting his second cube of energon while Ironhide leisurely sipped at his own. Both looked up at his entrance. Optimus gave him a warm smile.
"Good morning, Star."
"Morning, dad," Starfall smiled as he climbed up onto his chair.
"Mornin'," Ironhide grunted.
Although Ironhide's greeting was gruff like everything else he said, it was neither angry or tense, which startled Starfall. Ever since the incident at school and he'd tried to run away to Skyfire's Ironhide had been acting extremely nice towards him. Starfall was still trying to figure out what to make of it. He was still used to Ironhide's icy silences and ill-concealed glares. His outing the orn before with Optimus and Ironhide to the Crystal Gardens had shown him a side of his father's sparkmate he'd never experienced before - one he usually only saw when Ironhide's attention was directed towards Optimus, never himself. The abrupt change made it difficult for Starfall to believe Ironhide's new demeanor wasn't really some sort of act. Being in the burly mech's presence still made Starfall feel on edge, like having a tiny piece of debris he couldn't pick out wedged between his pede plating. Before today Ironhide had never greeted him at the refueling table. Starfall could detect no hostility from Ironhide like he usually did whenever he came into the room. The orn before had let Starfall see a different side of Ironhide, but a part of him kept waiting to accidentally do or say something that would make the old angry Ironhide come back.
"Good morning, sir," he timidly mumbled at the tabletop.
"How did you recharge?" Optimus asked.
"Good." A sudden thought made him gasp. He opened the subspace compartment on his forearm open and fished out his souvenir crystal from the day before. "Dad! I put my crystal on the berthtable last night before you came to read to me. After you left and shut the lights off it glowed in the dark! It was still glowing when I fell asleep."
"How very interesting," Optimus indulged him. "The website for the Crystal Gardens did say some of their crystals were light sensitive. Your crystal must have been cut from one of those."
Ironhide nodded with a grunt. "Crystals like that - if yeh let 'em sit under a light fer a few joors - can glow all night. It's really amazin' the amount 'a solar energy even a tiny piece 'a crystal like that can store inside it."
Starfall grinned, staring at his crystal. He knew his crystal had been special when he'd chosen it. Optimus and Ironhide had tried to convince him to get a different one because the one he wanted was so small. But he'd known that little purple one was the one he was suppose to pick. Very carefully, Starfall returned the crystal to his subspace compartment. He'd been serious when he'd told Optimus he intended to keep his crystal with him wherever he went. This crystal was more special to him than all the data pads Optimus bought him combined. He'd never owned anything so delicate looking or so simplistically beautiful before.
As Starfall picked up his energon Optimus looked at the chronometer on the wall. He frowned and hurriedly drained the rest of his cube. Immediately, he began drinking his last one.
"What's the matter, dad?" Starfall asked.
Optimus set the empty remains of his cube aside and retracted the edges of his battle mask over his face. "I must get ready to go. The orn before, I had to leave early from a very important meeting and I postponed going back yesterday for family reasons so we could go to the Crystal Gardens. Unfortunately, I cannot miss this meeting another orn. The workers' union and the city council must resolve this strike as soon as possible. I had hoped the two would be able to resolve this dispute without me, but they made no headway in negotiations yesterday. If anything I think the two sides are ever more firmly opposed to each other than before. I doubt I will be back until very late tonight."
Ironhide grimaced. "Ah'll be waitin' up fer yeh. Comm me if yeh need anything."
Starfall stared at Optimus in confusion. "So… are we leaving for school now?"
Optimus offered him a thin smile behind his mask - Starfall could tell by the crinkled folds of protomatter at the corners of his father's optics. "No. Unfortunately, I do not have time this morning to drop you at the academy. Your father's going to drive you to school today and pick you up afterwards."
Starfall's wings stiffened behind him. He timidly looking at Ironhide. A cold feeling of dread settled in the pit of his fuel tank. No matter how nice Ironhide had been to him yesterday he still remembered how angry Ironhide had been at him the orn he got suspended. Just the thought of getting into Ironhide's cab unit again without Optimus nearby made Starfall's sensors run cold. The suffocating silence that had pressed in on him as Ironhide drove him back from the academy that day was still fresh in his processor.
Surprisingly, Ironhide didn't seem to mind this plan. "Ah'm not goin' inta headquarters ta-day. Got too many reports ta write. So ah'll be home if yeh need ta get in touch with me."
Optimus nodded and glanced at Starfall. He must have sensed Starfall's distress because he reached out and put a comforting hand on Starfall's shoulder plate. "Are you going to be alright today, Star? If you have any problems again at school you have Catalyst or one of the other instructors call me or your father immediately."
Starfall forced a weak smile onto his face. "I'll be okay, dad." Although that wasn't necessarily a lie, Starfall wasn't as convinced as he wanted his father to believe. The orn hadn't even started yet and already he wished it was evening and Optimus was back home. Besides having to be alone with Ironhide, Starfall also had to deal with going back to school. He didn't know how the other children in his class were going to act around him after what happened between him and Aftershock. No doubt all of them were going to keep an even wider distance from him than before. Optimus had said other bots were afraid of seekers because they thought they were dangerous. His confrontation with Aftershock couldn't have done anything to improve his standing in any of his classmates eyes. He didn't even want to think of how Convoy was going to act around him when he went back to class. The tight, heavy feeling in Starfall's fuel tank got worse. He suddenly was no longer hungry.
Optimus pat Starfall between his wings. "I must go." He leaned over Starfall and pulled him against his side in a quick, one-armed hug. "Stay strong, Star. I will see you when I get home."
"Bye, dad," Starfall murmured into his father's chestplate.
Optimus turned to Ironhide. "Comm me if you have any problems."
"No worries." Ironhide and Optimus both reached out and intertwined their fingers together in a lovers' hand-squeeze. The look that passed between them made Starfall smile but still self-consciously advert his eyes. He enjoyed seeing his fathers so happy around each other but the sheer strength of the love that passed between them in moments like this made him feel like he was seeing something he wasn't meant to understand for a very long time. Before being adopted he'd never really seen a bonded couple interact except for when couples came to the hatchling facility, and usually then the two mates were more focused on picking out a child than on each other.
As Optimus headed for the foyer and disappeared through the door, however, Starfall's warm feelings disappeared and were replaced once again by nervousness. The silence of the domicile literally stung his audio receptors as he timidly glanced at Ironhide. Ironhide seemed to share a bit of Starfall's discomfort now that it was just the two of them.
Ironhide uncomfortably cleared his throat line and glanced at the chronometer. "Ah've gotta get yeh ta school soon, so hurry up an' drink yer energon."
"Yes, sir."
A frown spread across Ironhide's face. "Yeh don't hafta call me that."
Starfall's wings instinctively flattened against his back. "I'm sorry," he mumbled into his energon cube.
Ironhide vented a heavy sigh. "Yeh don't hafta apologize. It's just… never mind. Finish yer fuel." Starfall couldn't help but wonder why Ironhide looked so sad.
It took a bit of effort to obey Ironhide. The stress of being alone in his father's sparkmate's presence made the energon in Starfall's fuel tank sit like a galvanized steel weight. Somehow, though, he managed to finish the rest of his cube.
Like a prisoner being lead to the execution grounds Starfall timidly followed Ironhide to the door, into the lift and down to the transformation lot of their building. Ironhide transformed and opened his passenger door for Starfall. Starfall reluctantly climbed in. Like the day Ironhide picked him up from the academy, he did everything he could to make himself as small as he could and touch as little of Ironhide's interior as possible. In mutual silence they traveled to the academy.
It was only when Ironhide pulled off the freeway and the academy tower appeared in the distance that Starfall ventured to speak. "So, dad won't be home until late?"
"Probably," Ironhide's voice rumbled through the cab unit. "Might not be til after yeh go ta bed."
"Oh." Starfall hung his head in disappointment. He liked it when Optimus put him to bed. He always seemed to recharge better when his father read to him.
The disembodied sound of Ironhide clearing his throat line sounded. "Yeh can wait up fer him with me fer awhile ta-night if yeh want. Not fer too long though. Optimus would never let me hear the end 'a it if ah let yeh stay up til the middle 'a the night."
Starfall was stunned. Ironhide had never offered to spend time with him before. In fact, up until yesterday Ironhide had always seemed to do everything he could not to be around him. A part of Starfall was suspicious of Ironhide's offer, but another stronger part of him wanted to be allowed to stay up and wait for his father.
Ironhide pulled off the road into the academy's transformation lot. A number of other bots and their children milled around the edges of the lot. Ironhide headed for the far edge of the lot away from the majority of the other creators. He opened his door for Starfall. Starfall reluctantly slid down out of Ironhide's cab unit. He didn't feel ready to go back to school yet. After the incident the orn before last, Starfall wasn't sure how the other children were going to act around him. He was already a social pariah. Would his fight with Aftershock make him even more of an outcast? Starfall couldn't imagine how his situation could get any worse, but he didn't really want the opportunity to find out. If he'd been given the choice he would have gladly stayed home from school another day.
Ironhide transformed into his root form and glanced around the transformation lot. He always seemed to do that whenever they arrived somewhere. Starfall was still trying to figure out why he did that. He was going to have to ask his father about it someday.
Starfall stared at the doors of the academy, unable to make himself move towards them. Ironhide seemed to sense his reluctance.
"Yeh want me ta go in with yeh?" he asked. "Ah was thinkin' bout going in an' havin a few more words with Catalyst. He and ah still have some things ta clear up."
Starfall shook his head. "No. I'll be alright." He still had yet to move towards the entrance. The thought of going inside and facing the stares and covert whispers of his classmates made him feel sick to his fuel tank. His wings unconsciously flattened against his back, quivering with tension.
Starfall almost jumped when Ironhide's hand gently clapped against his back. He looked up to find Ironhide staring at him with a strange look in his optics. If such a look had been on Optimus's face Starfall would have said he looked worried. But Starfall had never seen Ironhide looked worried for him. Ironhide only ever looked angry at him - and never for anything Starfall could think of to explain why Ironhide always seemed so mad at him. The weapons specialist's hand remained on his back like an encouraging weight as Starfall fought the instinctive urge to step out of Ironhide's reach. He didn't like it when other people tried to touch his wings. Optimus and Skyfire were the only exceptions to that rule. His wings were extremely sensitive and the thought of someone he didn't know or trust touching them made Starfall cringe.
"Yeh sure yeh don't want me ta walk yeh inside? It's no big deal," Ironhide assured him, his tone surprisingly sincere.
Starfall scanned the transformation lot, torn by indecision. Ironhide's offer was tempting. Optimus usually let him off near the doors - close enough that he only had to walk a few dozen feet to get to the building. Ironhide, however, had pulled over to the side of the lot farthest from the doors. The walk inside was more that triple the usual distance. A number of children and adults stood around the edge of the transformation lot talking in small groups. Starfall noticed several of them already looking in their direction, but he didn't know if their stares were directed more towards him or Ironhide. His wings folded apprehensively down against his armor. Although he didn't necessarily like the idea of extending his time with Ironhide, the thought of walking across the transformation lot alone made his fuel lines tighten and his gears lock with dread. He hated it when people stared at him. It was like he could physically feel their optics crawling across his plating and down his wings. When he was with Optimus and people did that it was different. He always felt safe when his father was around. With Optimus next to him he knew no one would ever hurt him. But Optimus wasn't there. He was gone, away at a meeting, and had left him with Ironhide as his chaperon.
Even though Starfall knew Ironhide didn't like him, the thought of transversing the lot alone with no one else to accompany him made Starfall almost desperate for Ironhide's company. He let himself make-believe that Ironhide really did want to walk him to the door, and really did care that he wasn't scared or alone and not just offering out of some sort of obligation to Optimus. He knew Ironhide wanted nothing to do with him, but it would be nice to pretend for a few klicks that he had someone else other than just Optimus and Skyfire to look after him. Even after everything that had happened between them Starfall still sometimes caught himself fantasizing what it would be like to have two mechs to call father instead of just one.
"Okay," Starfall murmured, trying not to let Ironhide see just how much the offer really meant to him.
The hand on Starfall's back gave him two more quick pats between his wings then withdrew. Starfall at first stiffened, thinking he'd done something to make Ironhide mad at him. It took him a moment to realize Ironhide wasn't mad nor was the gesture meant to be aggressive. It was, Starfall slowly realized, suppose to be encouraging.
"Come on," Ironhide said.
Starfall's reluctance to be near Ironhide eased as he fell into step beside him. Several adult glanced at them as they walked past but Ironhide neither looked at them or even seemed to acknowledge their attention. If anything, he seemed completely at ease, as if being the object of everyone else's attention was an everyday occurrence and he didn't care. As Starfall thought about it Ironhide probably was. Starfall had only gone out with Optimus in public a few times, but each time he did everyone always seemed to stop what they were doing and stare. Ironhide had been bonded to Optimus a lot longer than Starfall had been their son, so it made sense he'd learned to ignore the attention by now. Starfall only hoped he could someday master such indifference.
They were almost the to doors when a voice called out behind them.
"Consort Ironhide! A moment please!"
Ironhide and Starfall both stopped and looked behind them. Starfall's fuel tank dropped at the sight of the mech walking towards them across the transformation lot. It was senator Scion. With him, walking half a step behind his sire, was Aftershock. A confusing mixture of resentment and nervousness clawed at the back of Starfall's intake line. He didn't want to deal with Aftershock right now. He was still angry at him for picking on Convoy and getting him in trouble with Catalyst, but he was also nervous to see him in the company of his father. Was Scion going to yell at him for hitting his son? Unconsciously, he edged half a step behind Ironhide for a shield.
Ironhide grumbled something incoherent under his intake as the senator and mechling came closer. Although he tried to mask it Starfall could feel irritation radiating off him.
"Consort Ironhide," Scion said when he and Aftershock reached them. He smiled, the living example of diplomatic friendliness. "I was hoping to get the chance to talk to you or Prime before the children had to go inside for class."
"Senator Scion, right? Optimus's told me 'bout yeh."
"Nothing but good things, I hope," the senator smiled. When Ironhide did not seem amused by his attempt at levity, Scion became more serious. "I was hoping to speak to you about what happened the other orn between our sons."
"That so?" Ironhide's face was completely unreadable. Even Starfall didn't know to interpret his stonewall expression.
The senator seemed thrown off by Ironhide's gruffness as well. If it had been Optimus he were talking to, no doubt things would be progressing much more smoothly. Scion delicately cleared his throat line. "Yes, well, Administrator Catalyst called me the orn before and told me about what happened between Aftershock and Starfall. As expected, I was appalled by my son's behavior when shown the video feed and had a stern talk with him about how one should treat others. I wanted to give my own personal apologies and try to see if this incident can't be put behind us and forgotten. I would hate for a children's squabble to permanently sour our sons' relationship together." He glanced behind him towards his son. "Aftershock. Apologize to Starfall."
The smaller blue and gold mech reluctantly stepped around his father. Although his head was bowed in embarrassment the optics he looked at Starfall with burned with resentment. "I apologize for what I did the orn before," Aftershock mumbled. "I shouldn't have been making fun of a younger sparkling or tried to hit you."
There was a long pause.
"And?" Scion sternly prompted.
"And I hope that you can forgive me and that we can still be friends." The last bit was mumbled in a hurry and so quiet Starfall could barely make out what Aftershock said.
Nonetheless, he got the idea. "Thank you," he murmured. He wasn't quite sure what else he was suppose to say.
Senator Scion nodded approvingly. "It's so good to see children peacefully reconcile after a fight, don't you think, Consort?"
Ironhide shrugged. "Ah guess. Back in my day, people mostly just let kids work their issues out themselves. If there was ever a problem, a quick scuffle in the schoolyard usually always seemed ta fix it. Never needed ta get so many people worked up 'r involved before."
The one corner of Scion's mouth delicately crinkled in a frown. "I like to think that times have changed since your own sparkling days, Consort, and that we've learned to solve problems without the need for fists. Such thinking was how the Great War started. Plus, this academy is a high-level institution. Children that go here are being groomed to someday be senators, council members and government officials. It would be indecent to allow such uncultured, low-number district type actions to go on in such a place."
Ironhide did not reply except to icily stare at the other mech.
Seemingly to sense he was losing favor, Scion forced a pleasant smile on his face. "In any case, what's done is done. All transmission fluid down the drain, as they say." He reached out and rested a hand on Aftershock's shoulder plate and glanced at Starfall. "Seeing as how we've gotten that all cleared up, I wanted to run the idea of setting up a time for our sons to get together and play sometime by you. If Prime were here I would suggest a working play date. He and I would have so much official business to discuss while the children played. It would be beneficial for everyone involved, don't you think?"
Starfall and Aftershock both looked at each other and frowned. Starfall had no desire to spend time with Aftershock, especially after how he'd treated Convoy and how he'd tried to attack him. He didn't like the other mechling much and judging by the silent death-glare Aftershock sent him Aftershock didn't care for him that much either.
"Well," Ironhide shrugged, "Ah'd hafta run that idea by Optimus an' see wha' he thinks, but right now Star's pretty busy an' already's got several playdates set up. Ah'd hafta get back ta yeh 'bout gettin' the kids ta-gether whenever ah thought Star had some free time."
"I see," Scion said. Disappointment glowed in his optics. "Well, please at least pass my proposal on to Prime and see what he thinks."
"Ah'll do that," Ironhide grunted, though his tone to Starfall's audios seemed to suggest he had no actually intention to.
"Come, Aftershock," Scion motioned, and together the two moved away towards the other side of the lot.
As soon as they were out of audio-range Ironhide gave a snort of distain. "Playdate my aft. He just wants an excuse ta get Optimus alone so he can talk his audio off 'bout Council stuff."
Starfall looked up at Ironhide, confused. "If he just wants to talk to dad why's he want me and Aftershock to play together? I don't want to be friends with Aftershock and I don't think Aftershock wants to play with me either."
Ironhide vented a sigh. "Cause that's politics, kid. Scion's a crafty bot. He's always been on that look out ta get in on Optimus's good side. Optimus is one of the most powerful bots in the Council an' Scion thinks if he can get yeh an' his kid ta be friends he'll have more leverage on Optimus ta agree with him on things. It's called seekin' favors, an' one a' the reasons ah hate politics. No one ever says or does wha' he actually means."
"Oh," Starfall murmured. Ironhide's explanation left him feeling strangely overwhelmed and confused. He still didn't quite understand how him and Aftershock being friends would force his father to agree with Scion on anything.
"Don't worry," Ironhide grunted. "Ah'm not gonna let that shiny plated smooth-talker use yeh. It'll be a cold day in the Pit before ah make yeh spend any time with that lil bully a' his."
A surprised rush of gratitude spread through Starfall. "You won't?"
Ironhide shook his head. "Nope. An' ah'll make sure Optimus doesn't either."
"Thank you, sir," Starfall murmured.
Ironhide frowned. "What've ah told yeh 'bout callin' me that?"
Starfall ducked his head. "I'm sorry." He kept forgetting Ironhide didn't like being called sir. But what else was he suppose to call him?
Ironhide gave a soft sigh of disappointment. "Don't worry 'bout it. Go on now. Class's 'bout ta start. Ah'll pick yeh up after school. Remember wha' ah told yeh 'bout not makin' me wait. Ah don't wanna hafta deal with anymore senators or council-bots comin' up ta me like Scion did."
"Okay." As Starfall walked up the stairs to the door he couldn't help but give Ironhide one last glance over his shoulder. The red mech saw the look and raised his hand to him in farewell. Starfall tentatively returned it. He still didn't quite understand what had happened between Ironhide and Scion - adult talk was confusing with all its double-meanings and hidden agendas - but Starfall couldn't shake the feeling that Ironhide had been protecting him. He didn't know what to really think of it. For as long as he had been a member of the Prime family Starfall had gotten the very distinct impression that Ironhide didn't like him and wanted nothing to do with him. But then he went and protected him from Scion, making Starfall all the more unsure of where he and Ironhide actually stood with each other. Despite his surprise, Starfall was nonetheless willing to accept any form of warmth from the other mech. Ironhide was still scary, but Starfall no longer felt as uncomfortable around him as he once did.
Starfall quickly navigated the hallways of the academy to Alpha-4's homeroom. He noticed a number of the other children milling around the halls - both sparklings and older younglings - stop what they were doing and cast him looks as he hurried past. The feelings behind their gazes varied. Some looked at him warily. Others seemed to regard him appraisingly as if sizing him up in their heads while a majority of the rest seemed transfixed by the sight of him. Rumors of the fight between him and Aftershock must have spread around the school like galactic plague.
Starfall ducked his head from their gazes and hurried on, anxious to reach the relative safety of his homeroom. At least there he only had to bear the gaze of his other classmates and not the collective gaze of the entire school. His only hope now was to make it through the orn without gaining anymore unwanted attention. If he kept a low profile he might be able to disappear into the background of District 11's student population again in a few orns after the sensation of his and Aftershock's fight died down.
When Starfall finally reached the door to homeroom Alpha-4, he chanced a quick look inside before entering. At least a dozen of his classmates were already inside, talking and laughing together in pairs and other small groups. On the other side of the room sitting at the end of the row in his usual bubble of isolation was Convoy. The little red mech was reading a data pad, his shoulder plates tightly hunched around the sides of his helm as if that might offer him protection for anyone's attempt to approach him.
Starfall balked, his wings stiffening behind him. He didn't feel ready to face the other mechling. He didn't know how Convoy would react towards him. He tried to be friendly towards Convoy his first day of class and only managed in making Convoy angry at him. Was Convoy going to be even more angry at him for what happened between him and Aftershock? What if he somehow blamed Starfall for bringing more attention to him? Starfall didn't know but felt decidedly pessimistic. Every time he tried to do something he always seemed to mess it up.
Venting a deep intake, Starfall stepped over the threshold into the room. The majority of the chatter in the room almost instantly quieted as all the other sparklings in Alpha-4 turned to stare at him. Starfall ducked his helm and hurried as fast at he could across the front of the room and down the side to his seat. He could feel everyone else's gaze follow him as he slid sideways behind Convoy's seat and into his own. Refusing to look at anyone, Starfall stared resolutely at the tabletop, his head bowed almost to the counter. He didn't even dare to glance at Convoy, though he could feel the smaller sparkling's gaze of him.
Gradually, the other sparklings in the classroom turned back to each other and resumed their conversations, chatting and giggling together in hushed voices. Starfall was sure a number of them were talking about him, but at least they weren't directly staring at him anymore. He vented a cycle of air and sagged down into his seat. While he was sure he was going to be the topic of conversation for many more orns, at least no one seemed willing to cause him any direct grief about the fight. So far the attention he was getting for being suspended was no worse than any of the attention he'd had to suffer before. For that much, at least, he could be grateful.
"Starfall?" a quiet voice murmured from Starfall's left. To his audios his name sounded more like Stàr-fül.
Starfall looked up, surprised. Convoy was timidly looking at him from around his hunched shoulder plates.
"I want to thank you for what you did the other orn," Convoy murmured, barely loud enough for Starfall to hear. No doubt he didn't want any of their classmates to overhear him speaking. "No one has ever done something like that for me before. Thank you."
Starfall's optics rebooted in surprise. "You're welcome." He couldn't believe Convoy was actually talking to him. Convoy had refused to speak to him ever since his first day of classes.
Leaning closer to Starfall, Convoy went on in a hushed, urgent voice, "I am sorry you got in trouble." This was the first time Starfall had ever heard him speak more than a handful of words. It was like now that he'd begun, Convoy couldn't stop the stream of words coming out of his mouth. "It was not fair everyone blamed you. I tried to tell Instructor Backslide you did not start the fight but he would not listen to me. I told my father about what happened after school." Convoy went quiet, his optics nervously shifting away Starfall towards the countertop. "My father said if you ever want to come to my domicile to play you can," he murmured in an embarrassed rush.
Starfall's spark did a surprised flip in his chest. "Really?" He'd never been invited to play by another sparkling his age before. He didn't think Convoy wanted anything to do with him. He had been convinced Convoy didn't like him.
"Only if you want to," Convoy insisted. "It is okay if you do not." He no longer seemed able to look at Starfall. His voice had dropped several more decibels, making it even more difficult to hear him. It was like he was preparing himself for Starfall's rejection.
"I'd like that," Starfall smiled, barely able to contain his excitement.
Convoy shyly looked back up at Starfall, his blue-green optics widening in surprise. "Really?"
"Yea. I've never had anyone to play with before."
Convoy stared at Starfall for a moment before quietly admitting, "Me neither."
The two stared at each other for a moment before simultaneously breaking into timid smiles. In that instant it felt like an invisible wall had disappeared from in between them.
"What are you reading?" Starfall asked, pointing to the data pad in front of Convoy. Now that he'd gotten the other sparkling talking he didn't want Convoy to lapse back into silence. It was strange, but the more he listened to the Convoy the less noticeable his accent was.
"My father just bought it for me. It is called 'Circuit Breaker's Maze.'"
"My dad just read me that a few deca-cycles ago! Have you gotten to the part where the fire comes out of the walls yet?"
Convoy nodded. A dazed sort of smile spread across his face as if he couldn't believe what was happening. "Yes. I read that last chapter."
"My favorite part is coming up next. I think you'll really like it. Circuitbreaker has to find a way past a swarm of insecticons."
"How many different stories have you read, Starfall? I often see you reading between classes."
"Lots. My dad bought me a bunch of new data pads when he adopted me." He considered Convoy for a moment. "You don't have to call me Starfall, you know. You can call me Star if you want. It's what I like my dad and friends to call me."
A surprised but beautifully bright smile slid across Convoy's face. "Alright… Star." Over the last few klicks, Convoy's shoulder plates began to relax and drop down from around his neck. He now looked at Starfall more directly. The aura of fear had noticeably disappeared from around him.
Starfall didn't quite know what to make of the warm feeling spreading through his spark. Was this what having a friend felt like? He didn't know. He'd never had a real friend before now.
"Hey! Look who it is!" a loud voice rang through the classroom. "It's the seeker that beat up Aftershock!"
Starfall and Convoy both looked up. Coming through the doorway was their classmate Downshift. The dark blue mechling was walking down their side of the room, his optics locked on Starfall.
"Oh no," Convoy groaned, tucking his head below his shoulder rims as though trying to hide.
Starfall's wings flattened against his back. A deep frown pulled at his lips. Neither he or Convoy had reason to believe that whatever Downshift wanted was going to be good. Downshift was the notorious loudmouth of Alpha-4 and always seemed to go out of his way to try and get a rise out of others, whether that be through personal antics or antagonizing jokes. Convoy was one of Downshift's favorite targets because of his accent. Starfall had been the victim of several of Downshift's jokes because of his wings, but luckily not that many. He'd discovered early on that Downshift often got bored and eventually left him alone if he refused to react to his jokes.
"What do you want, Downshift?" Starfall spat when Downshift finally got near enough. He could feel his tension cables tightening with apprehension.
The other sparkling smoothly slid into the row behind Starfall and Convoy and flopped into the seat beside Starfall's. "Just wanted to talk to one of the coolest sparklings in school right now!" he announced with a wild grin. "Dude, the whole school's talking about the seeker in Alpha-4 that beat up a youngling all by himself. I knew seekers were natural fighters. Can you teach me how to do what you did? It was so cool. You were all like, duck, dodge, bam!" Downshift mimicked a fighter evading a strike then coming in with an upper cut. "Aftershock didn't even know what hit him! He's, what, like twice you're size? And you totally downed him. You're the coolest!"
Starfall was stunned. For a moment he couldn't think of anything to say in response, especially when such praise was coming from someone like Downshift. He noticed a number of his other classmates listening in. He was once again the center of attention, but unlike when he'd entered none of the other sparklings seemed to be staring in him in a way that made him feel like they were afraid or angry at him. If anything, they looked almost… awed. It reminded him a little of the look the mech in the Crystal Gardens had in his optics when he'd come up to talk to Optimus.
"I… I don't really remember what I did," Starfall admitted. "Aftershock was going to punch me and I kinda… just moved. I don't know how I did that."
"Whatever, dude," Downshift grinned. "All I know is you're cool. Anyone who can beat up an older youngling like that is totally awesome. None of the older kids'll ever pick on anybody from Alpha-4 again. Not as long as you're around."
A sharp electronic tone sounded, signaling the five-klick warning for class. Downshift got up and began to edge out of the row behind Starfall and Convoy. "See ya later, seeker!" he grinned and clapped Starfall on the back. "You too, Convoy," he added with another friendly slap on the shoulder plates.
Starfall sat there stunned as Downshift hurried to his own seat. As if in a daze, he glanced at Convoy hoping he had some kind of explanation for what just happened. Unfortunately, the little red mechling stared back at him just as stunned.
"It would seem you are popular now," Convoy said.
Starfall snorted, unexplainably giddy all of a sudden. "I guess." They shared another look and broke into simultaneous giggles. What they were laughing about Starfall couldn't exactly say. But it felt right, and it was nice to see Convoy smiling for once.
As the rest of their classmates filtered into the room and took their seats, Starfall couldn't help but feel buoyed by a sudden feeling of hope. Maybe things weren't going to be so bad from now on.
to be continued
Happy holidays and merry early Christmas!
-LAXgirl