When Chromia was finally released from the Medbay, the first place she went was not her quarters, as First Aid had ordered, but to the training room. She had been confined to a cramped medical berth with scratchy blankets for days, and now was the time to make up for it.
As she set up a punching bag and began to attack it with a series of jabs and punches, Firestar popped her helm into the room, "Hey Captain! Good to see you up and running."
"Thanks." Chromia paused and smiled back at her friend, "Where's Strongarm?"
"Right here." The blue and white femme appeared in the doorway, Sideswipe tagging along behind her, "I thought I might find you in here, so soon after you get released from the Medbay. What are we talking about?"
Firestar shrugged, "I just came to tell Chromia something. Guess I could tell ya both since you're here."
"Really?" Strongarm frowned, "I came to tell her something too."
"Well get in line then sister." Firestar rolled her optics, "Anyways...me and Sunstreaker are dating."
"No!" Strongarm exclaimed
"No fragging way!" Sideswipe burst out laughing
"What is so funny, you afthole?" Firestar's faceplates flushed, "I can date your brother if I want!"
"No, it's not that hahaha." Sideswipe was practically gasping for air at this point, "It's-It's-"
"We're dating." Strongarm gestured between her and the red bot, who promptly began cracking up again.
Firestar gawked at the two of them, as Chromia glanced bemusedly at the two femmes, "It would appear both of you are dating the twins."
"You're dating Sideswipe?!" Firestar's optics were huge
"I thought you hated him?" Chromia asked
"And what happened to Bumblebee?"
"Whoa time out." Sideswipe waved his hands, "You hated me? And also Bumblebee? Seriously? I mean, not that I don't love the guy, but he's like a million years old, and has a sparkling."
Strongarm blushed a million shades of blue, "I might have had a little bit of a crush on him."
"Might have." Firestar cackled
Strongarm shot her a glare and continued, "I kinda realized I like him more as a mentor though. And I didn't hate you. I just...very strongly disliked you."
"Sure." Chromia snorted
"What was it you said?" Firestar pondered and then grinned evilly, "Oh yeah. You said you would shove him in a trash compactor the first chance you got. Must have been love at first sight for you two."
"Must have." Sideswipe raised an optic ridge jokingly at Strongarm, who looked like she might die, "A trash compactor? I mean I get I'm annoying, but I didn't think I was that annoying."
"You were." Strongarm teased, "But I got over it. Plus you can be sweet when you wanna be."
Sideswipe grinned happily and Firestar rolled her optics, "So just like that? You went from enemies to kissy-smoochy?"
Strongarm shrugged, "It took a while. We were kinda forced to become a team and rely on each other, and one thing led to another…" She trailed off and blushed
"Awww! Strongarm and Sideswipe sittin' in a tree…" Firestar immediately launched into the irritating song
"Hey what about you?!" Strongarm said defensively, "I could start singing about you and Sunstreaker sitting in a tree!"
"Hahaha go right ahead." Firestar shrugged, "You know it doesn't bother me. I'm dating Sunstreaker 'cuz he's fun and knows how to have a good time. He makes me laugh, unlike some stiff bots I know." She shot a look at Strongarm, and the blue and white femme folded her arms.
"Yeah? Well at least Sideswipe's not a complete moron."
"Thanks?" Sideswipe questioned, looking slightly offended
"Sunny's not a moron!" Firestar sputtered
Strongarm grinned, "Oh, I wasn't referring to Sunstreaker."
"Damn, femme!" Sideswipe whooped, and Chromia began edging towards the door, seeing Firestar's face beginning to a rageful blue.
"Okaaay, I'm gonna leave now." She said, hastily yanking the door open and shutting it behind her. Not a moment later she heard a crash and a muffled yelp, followed by Sideswipe yelling, "Gahhhh! Get me outta-"
Chromia walked quickly away from the door and headed to her quarters, intent on maybe getting some of the rest she had been ordered to. She was stopped outside her door, however, by Magnia, Knockout, and Roulette, the two sparklings Ravenblade and Nitrostar with them.
"Hey Chromia!" Magnia said cheerfully, "How are you feeling?"
"Well." Chromia eyed the two sparklings suspiciously, "Why?"
"We were wondering if you would be willing to watch these two for us for a few hours?" Knockout asked, "The big O wants to consult the three of us about the meaning of some Decepticon activity. We would have asked Arcee, Prowl, or Jazz, but they're all busy doing Primus knows what."
"And we don't trust the sparklings with anyone else." Roulette said worriedly
" 'Mia!" Ravenblade said happily, having just noticed her. Nitrostar frowned, unfamiliar with this blue and silver femme. He was quite a serious mech for only the age of three solar cycles, and was very protective of Ravenblade.
"...Sure?" Chromia said hesitantly. She had almost no experience with sparklings; she was just lucky Ravenblade had been well-behaved when she watched her for those few hours.
"Great!" The three of them chimed in unison. Chromia let them into her quarters, where they sat the sparklings down and said worried goodbyes, thanking Chromia on their way out.
And then she was alone with the sparklings.
She simply stared at them uncertainly for a moment and they stared back, one pair of bright red optics, the other a lilac purple.
Finally Chromia cleared her throat and said, "So….what do you guys wanna do?"
"What's your name?" Nitrostar asked
"Uh...Chromia."
"I'm Nitrostar." He pointed to his partner in crime, "And that's Ravenblade."
"I know." Chromia said awkwardly
"She Jazzy's fwiend." Ravenblade informed Nitrostar
"Jazzy?" Nitrostar considered, "I like Jazz. Okay, we can be friends."
"Thanks?"
"But." He added seriously, "Ravey's my best friend."
"Okay." Chromia chuckled, "So what do you guys like to play?"
"Autobots and 'Cepticons!" Ravenblade squealed and a grin split across Nitrostar's face
"How do you play that?" Chromia asked
"Ima Decepticon and Ravey's an Autobot and we fight." Nitrostar shrugged
"How come you're the Decepticon and she's the Autobot?"
"Duh, 'cuz she looks like an Autobot." Nitrostar rolled his optics
"Nitro's optics is red." Ravenblade nodded, "Plus his mommy and daddy used to be 'Cepticons."
"Ah." Chromia said uncomfortably, "Well, if you guys are being Decepticons and Autobots, then what should I do?"
They glanced at each other and shrugged. "We don't usually have anyone else to play with." Nitrostar said warily, "Just me and Ravey."
Chromia thought for a second, "Hmmm I have an idea. What if you guys are Autobots, and I'm a big bad Decepticon trying to catch you?"
"Okay!" Ravenblade chimed and Nitrostar frowned.
Before he could object, Chromia growled playfully, "I'm gonna get you little Autobots! You better watch out!"
Ravenblade giggled and dove into Chromia's covers, dragging the copper and red mech in with her, "What you gonna do to us, meanie 'Cepticon?"
"If I find those tiny Autobots, I'm gonna tickle them to death!" Chromia announced, pretending to be hunting for them, "Now if I could just find them….aha!" She ripped the covers off and Ravenblade shrieked, trying to roll away before Chromia pounced and began tickling both of them.
"Ravey….we have to...escape!" Nitrostar cried, giggling in spite of himself
"1, 2, 3, roll!" Ravenblade shouted and they both rolled out of Chromia's grip and off of the bed.
"Come back here, you rascals!" Chromia ran after them, chasing the two giggling sparklings around the room
"Quick Ravey, grab the sheet!" Nitrostar yelled, and Ravenblade nodded in understanding. They both grabbed an edge of Chromia's sheet and ran at her with it, running around and around her until she was entirely wrapped up.
"Oh no!" She laughed, pretending to flop over onto the floor, "You caught me!"
"Good job, Ravey." Nitrostar said, high fiving the small black and purple femme.
"So." Chromia wiggled out of the sheet, "What do you guys think we should do now?"
Nitrostar's optics gleamed, "Wanna play again?"