CHAPTER 6
Getting Better

"JEFF!"

Jeff cringed at the shout of Sideswipe's voice that echoed out. He smirked quietly, mentally noting that Sideswipe must have regretted teaching him the secret to better pranks, as he had suspected he would. Looking up from hanging from one of the many counters, he was greeted by the pink paint bombed mech, allowing himself to grin. "Hey Sides, that's a lovely shade you're wearing." He then added "You're a very pretty mech." He added.

"On a prankster level, well done." Sideswipe grimaced, optic twitching "On a guardian level though? How could you humiliate me like this!?"

"You do it to Ratchet all the time, or so you say." Jeff added rather deadpan.

"You're grounded."

"You can't legally confine me to this base."

"I'm your legal guardian, aren't I?"

Jeff snorted quietly at that, rolling his eyes and sitting cross legged on the counter. He debated whether or not to point out what that meant, or simply keep it to himself and keep tormenting them. "That would mean you'd be stuck with me until I was eighteen." Jeff stuck his tongue out "It's one step under adoption, dude. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that." He added.

Grunting, Sideswipe carefully began to wipe his face with a rag, turning his optics to the boy with a glare. "Eh, I guess I can let it slide as it was a well-executed prank." He finally smirked a bit "Put 'er there on that one." He held out a knuckle, and Jeff fist bumped him "You can make it up to me though." He noted, leaning forward "Go to Ratchet and get your refill for me?" He questioned.

"But I hate that guy!"

"That's why it's a punishment." Jeff shook his head slowly "It's either that or get a towel and start scrubbing."

Jeff grimaced slightly at his guardian, crossing his arms again, anger filling his eyes. He nodded a bit, allowing Sideswipe to move him down to the ground. "You are the biggest pain in the rear end ever. Can't even take a joke." Jeff turned his head, and shouted "Hypocrite!"

Sideswipe simply rolled his eyes, they still weren't quite "getting along", but things were getting better. Carefully moving to clean off the paint, it didn't take him long, having been the subject of many different revenge pranks. The feeling of two hands on his shoulders made him grin, turning to Arcee. "I think he found your paint." He muttered, motioning to his nearly gone new "paint job" "What are we going to do with that little brat?" He questioned.

Arcee laid a kiss on his lip plates, shaking her head slowly. "At least he's coming around a little. He's still a smart-aft, but at least he's not being, well..." Arcee sighed "I guess there really is no delicate way of putting it, is there? A little pit spawn." Sideswipe chuckled with a nod "By the way, I have a question for you." Sideswipe nodded slowly "Does he now... You know, that this isn't going to be forever?" She paused "That we could-" She began.

"Arcee, it's been almost four weeks." Sideswipe replied "No family is coming for him, he doesn't need to know they're searching. If any of them cared they would've already right?" He shrugged "Face it, like it or not, we're stuck with him." He went over a data pad, leaning against a counter "So, I have a question for you." Arcee nodded "When's the next time we're going to interface?" He questioned.

"With a teenager in the next room? Not a chance." Arcee replied.

Sideswipe slowly skated towards her, putting his arms around her waist. He grinned a little cheekily, impish delight present in his optics as he shook his head slowly. "The kid ain't around though, is he?" Sideswipe questioned "And I think all this talk about him, and families and all that slag has got me thinking." He then added "Maybe we should-." He began.

"We've been over this Sides, kids complicate things." Arcee backed up slightly "The second we have a sparkling, we put it in danger even with the war at a stand-still." She began, then shook her head "Besides, I already have one kid in this house, and I'm not talking about Jeff." She then added "And that overgrown mechling is more than enough." She noted.

"Ouch." Sideswipe replied "That one stung, 'Cee."

"But it's true."

Arcee shook her head a little, grabbing an energon cube slowly, turning to Sideswipe. "Maybe when you grow up a little and we don't have a teenager in the apartment. Then, and only then, we'll talk sparklings." She poked him in the chest plate calmly "Until then, let's just... Y'know. Take it easy." She made her way for the door "By the way, don't forget, you promised Jeff to take him out of the base this weekend." She then added "You know, while I'm out of town?" She added.

"Ugh, I totally forgot." Sideswipe rubbed the back of his helm "I sort of have plans this weekend with a couple of the off-base 'Bots."

"Take him with you." Arcee replied "But don't screw up this progress we've made by ditching him."

Sideswipe stood there as Arcee left, frowning. Yeah, that's exactly what I need, the kid this weekend. Sideswipe thought quietly Frag my life.

...

Jeff slept most of the ride out of Chicago, barely saying a word, something Sideswipe thanked Primus for. By the time they'd arrived, Jeff seemed half-dead, which Sideswipe couldn't blame him for. It was nearing midnight for him, and it was quite obvious that they both needed rest. "Hope you don't mind, I need to get us a motel room." Sideswipe replied "I meet with my friends tomorrow, and well... I need to be close to you." He added.

"Yeah, I get it." Jeff got himself out of his guardian's alt mode "Are these friends of yours at least friendly? Last thing I want is to butt into a group of jerks." He shrugged his shoulders a bit.

"They're fine." Sideswipe replied as Jeff opened the door with the key he gave him, entering the room through his holoform "Now you listen to me, Jeff. First thing's first, you don't buy anything, no room service, no movies." He shook his head "I don't want to have to pay for a bunch of that crap when I know you're going to go to sleep anyway." He added.

Jeff turned to Sideswipe, who seemed ready to leave. "You're going to leave?" Sideswipe stared at him, noting the concern in his voice "Isn't that dangerous with that freak still out there? What if you don't notice him in time or something?" The mech frowned slightly, rolling his optics "You're right, it's stupid, sorry, go out and get recharge." He muttered.

Sideswipe sighed a bit, eyeing Jeff with concern, without a doubt, he was still nervous about being hurt. But out here it was justified, being that he didn't have floors upon floors of protection. "Nah, I can stay, I'll take my holoform to the chair, I'll just recharge outside." He said simply, looking him over slightly "And what have I told you? If you feel uncomfortable or nervous, tell me." He added.

Jeff shrugged, making Sideswipe frown a little, at times that seemed to be his answer for everything. Taking a deep breath, Jeff sighed, he shrugged his shoulders. "You're a nice guy and all, Sides." Jeff began "But let's face it, I'm not a six year old or anything, I don't need to tell you every time..." He stared down at the bed he was sitting on "Every time I feel the least bit worried about something." He finished.

Sideswipe shifted a bit, knowing he couldn't totally disagree with his charge on that fact. Though he also knew that this was all part of his job as well, unfortunately. He wondered silently how Bumblebee had done it for so long with the Witwicky boy, though he reminded himself that with parents, that was a totally different situation. "Jeff, that's my job, keeping you safe. Stop acting like everything you do is a burden." Sideswipe grunted "That gets annoying you know." He added.

"Sorry."

Sideswipe sighed quietly, leaning back in the seat. Jeff was silent, Sideswipe simply shook his head slowly, looking up at him. "You really do need sleep though, kid. We've been driving for several hours, and you're exhausted." Sideswipe told him flatly "I'll be right here if you need me, so you can sleep just fine." Jeff nodded, turning to face the nearby wall.

Sideswipe sat up, deep in thought for the next several hours. The progress he was making was evident, despite the fact the kid still gave him trouble. It was odd, when the kid was actually more relaxed, he actually enjoyed his company. Inwardly, the mech had to wonder why that was, or at the very least, how that was. He'd just never been good with kids, but in some ways, he seemed to be able to handle a calmer Jeff with relative ease. Watching as the boy slept, he slowly stood, pulling over the blanket as the boy shivered slightly.

The kid was still a pain in the aft, but the easier he got, the better the situation seemed. Well as "better" as the situation of being saddled with a sixteen year old against his will could be anyway. "Sides." Sideswipe peered down at the boy as he spoke "You should get some recharge too, dude." He turned over slightly "Or you're going to collapse." He added.

"Not your job to tell me." Sideswipe muttered.

"Not your job to tell me to, either." Jeff muttered back "But you're not the only one who cares about someone in this room."

As Jeff laid his head down on the pillow again, Sideswipe sighed silently. He couldn't help but smile a little as he closed his eyes, and allowed his real form to fall into recharge. After all, he was just as tired, and needed it just as much.

...

A/N: Next chapter, Jeff gets to meet some of Sides friends. :)