Summary: Starscream is wondering around the base when he hears something he never thought he would hear again.
Pairings: None
Warnings: My headcanons which includes Hotshot being a Halfling. Father/Son fluff inbound.

Starscream was slowly becoming more accustomed to the Autobot base, especially when he roamed the halls and rooms late at night without the kids around to try and show him where everything is. He didn't mind them, but they could just be a tad overwhelming and from the looks he was getting from the other Autobots, they knew how he felt and could relate. It sometimes made him wonder just why they let the children to come to the base until he saw the softening look in their optics that held both contentment and protectiveness, which gave him his answer. They had something more that's worth fighting for now, not just for the Minicons.

As the seeker began to walk passed the rec room, he paused as he heard something coming from within. He was hearing a...clicking noise that seemed to quite for a few second before it starts back up again, usually four patterned clicks before the cycle repeated. It sounded...familiar but he knew that it was impossible, the only ones to do that was sparklings and younglings- more specifically, seeker younglings.

Grounder and seeker sparklings usually vocalize with clicks and whirls when they aren't laughing, crying or whining. Grounders usually grow out of it when they hit their youngling stage but not seekers. Seeker younglings retain the clicking vocalization until they reached their adult stage.

As far as Starscream knew, the team does not have a seeker youngling here and yet the clicking is still sounding from within the quiet room. After some thinking, he finally came to a decision and stepped inside the darkened room and looked over towards the transformer sized couch.

He could see Optimus sitting there, datapad in hand, illuminated his helm and upper part of his chest. The leader was leaning back against the arm rest, one foot planted on the floor and the other bent against the back of the couch. What really threw Starscream off though, was Hotshot laying back against the prime, head resting against the grill and optics dark as he recharged. It was around this time that the clicking came again and the seeker felt his form stiffen when he realized just who it was coming from.

"Hello, Starscream." Optimus suddenly greeted, making the said seeker look and lock optics with Optimus. The leader didn't look surprised to see him, in fact, he looked like he was waiting for him.

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding." Starscream watched the leader wearily as the mech sat the datapad on the table.

"You're not intruding." Optimus assured the other. "I would invite you to come sit but...ah..."

The Prime glanced down at the recharging Hotshot, letting a hand rub the top of the youngling's head, which made Hotshot's clicking become louder slightly. "I had figured that you would stumble upon us at some point."

Hotshot took this moment to move in his recharge, shifting over onto his front before his arms came around Prime's middle and buried his face into the grill with a sigh, and then his clicking begin again. Optimus laid a hand on the younger's back, letting his engine start to rev quietly. Optimus watched the yellow mech for one long moment before looking at Starscream. "I know you have some questions. Please, sit."

The seeker soundlessly walked over to a chair and sat down on it before giving his full attention to the leader, waiting.

"Before you ask, Hotshot's a halfling."

"A halfling?" The seeker's optics brightened slightly. "I thought they were all killed at the beginning of the war..."

"So did I. But, it appears that's not the case." Optimus used his free hand to rub the back of Hotshot's head. "That actually leads us to why he and I are in here now. He was having nightmares from when the Youth Center he was staying at was attacked."

"I keep forgetting how young he actually is." Starscream muttered, making Optimus chuckle slightly.

"Yes, he does tend to try and act older than he actually is. He always believes that he has something to prove to us because of his age."

Optimus looked down at the smaller mech, ignoring the scoff from the seeker and the other's few choice words. Hotshot had shifted and Optimus knew that the positioning they were in were not comfortable for a full recharge like it was for a small one. So, he shifted himself before he was laying flat on his back and Hotshot automatically moved to accommodate this new sleeping position. Now, he using his leader's torso as a berth, head tucked underneath the other's chin. The Prime rubbed Hotshot's back firmly but gently, listening to the pattern of clicks that he had long become familiar to.

Starscream watched the two, his sunset colored optics taking in every movement of the two before he stood up. "I'll be taking my leave now. I'll head back to my quarters."

Optimus nodded as best he could. "Of course. Have a pleasant recharge, Starscream."

The seeker just nodded and make his way out of the room and began to make his way towards his assigned quarters, his processor reeling through this new information.

He keyed in the code to the keypad and stepped inside, the doors closing behind him. He made his way to his berth and laid down with a small sigh, his optics powering down as he waited for his recharge to take him. It was around this time that he had to wonder... what else will he be learning during his time here?

As recharge creep up on him, he decided that he didn't really care. He'll just take everything in stride as it started to be revealed to him.

That's really all he can do now.

And, with that, he fell into recharge, his dreams comprised of Vos and his own family.