CHAPTER 61
Seventeen Candles

Jeff hated his birthday.

The adoption was part of the reason he had avoided telling Prowl that his birthday came a few days before. The other part was more personal, and to do with his inability to ever truly believe he was worth it. But all the same, by some miracle, Prowl had found out about it. Jeff sighed, seventeen, that's how old he'd be tomorrow, that was a birthday foster kids dreaded, it meant they were one year away from being kicked out onto the streets. But for Jeff, he just dreaded his birthday because every birthday he'd had since he entered care had been terrible, filled with false wishes of good will, and usually celebrated on his own.

The few good birthday's he had had made him sad as he thought of other good homes he'd had. It was no question that he often asked himself: why didn't they adopt him? But it wasn't a question he was big on now, he had his family, or would in a few days, and that was the best birthday gift he could ask for. "I don't want a birthday party, or anything dad." Jeff commented, taking a deep breath as he leaned against the doorway to Prowl's office "I'm just seventeen, it's not like I'm twenty-one or anything." He told him politely.

Prowl shook his head a little bit, smirking a little bit. Of course Jeff knew he wanted to throw him a little party, even though he had done a pretty good job of keeping it on the down low. "It's your first birthday with me." Prowl replied honestly, looking at him sternly "I'll do for it whatever I please, where you want it or not." He stated firmly "After all, your day of birth should be a celebration, Jeffrey."

Of course Prowl felt that way, Jeff figured. He still wasn't sure what to think of anyone finding his birth a day to celebrate, other than his biological parents, and a few foster parents. But this was his new family, Bluestreak and Smokescreen probably being in on it themselves. After all, they had come down for the week of Jeff's formal adoption to be there when Prowl signed the papers. It was exciting to think that they'd wanted to be there to be the first two after Prowl to welcome him into the family.

But now he realized the ulterior motive behind it and felt bad. They had taken off their shifts to celebrate his birthday, and see his adoption, the latter of which seemed more reasonable to him. "It's not that big a deal, my adoption date is going to be the big deal, and should be." Jeff muttered quietly "But if you have to throw me a birthday party, I guess it's not much to complain about." He sighed quietly.

Prowl smirked, as if Jeff could have even stopped him whether he wanted it or not. Waving the boy off gently, and chuckling a little bit, shook his head. "Just go and pick a movie you want to go to tonight." Prowl replied politely "At the very least, I'm treating you to the movie of your choice. Pick horror if you want in fact, I can bare it in the spirit of things."

Jeff sighed quietly, and nodded making his way out of the room. Though he wasn't big on being the center of attention, he had to admit, the more he thought about it the more he was okay with it. A party could be fun, at least this time it would not be filled with fake smiles and awkward presents, as far as he knew at least. He sighed quietly, putting his hands in his pockets, wondering what exactly they did have planned. Even if he was okay with it, he could only hope it was nothing too big or flashy.

But with Bluestreak there, he half expected a carnival.

"Hey, Jeff!"

Jeff turned around slowly to see that, speak of the devil, Bluestreak had made his way down the hallway, scooping him up as he went. "Six more days!" Bluestreak told him as if Jeff hadn't already been counting the days down in his head "How excited are you getting, kid?" He poked him in the chest gently "In six more days you're officially my nephew." He added.

Jeff smirked a bit, he had to admit, the idea of having uncle's excited him a lot too. He'd never had an expanded family like this, not ones that didn't end up to be creeps, aka Peter. And the thought of having a bigger, and loving family he could go to felt good. "Really excited." Jeff replied "Nervous too though, but I guess I can't really blame myself for being that way." He paused a bit "So, any chance you'll let me in on what dad has up his sleeve?"

"About your birthday?" Jeff nodded "Sorry bud, my lips are sealed for once."

"Oh, so you chose now to be quiet." Jeff teased.

Bluestreak gave a pout at his soon-to-be nephew playfully, rubbing his head with a finger. He knew his nephew was being playful, but the pout remained. "Your birthday is going to be memorable. That's all I can say." Jeff sighed a bit, but Bluestreak quickly turned his pout into a smile "Come on shortstack, let us do this one thing for you, what's the worst that could happen?" He asked.

Jeff could only hope that Bluestreak was right about that.

...

Jeff woke up the next morning not feeling a day older. The movie the night before had been fun, though Jeff still wondered why they wanted him out of the base. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he groaned as he entered the den and found Prowl waiting for him. "You should be at work." Jeff muttered "What're you doing at home?" He questioned.

"Happy birthday, son."

Jeff's eyes widened, he'd nearly forgotten. Taking a deep breath, he smiled shyly, nodding his head a little. "Thanks dad." Jeff shook his head "My friends aren't all going to pop out out of nowhere, right? Because I really don't want the world to know I still sleep in themed pajamas." Prowl chuckled and shook his head slightly "Good." He added.

At this point, Prowl slid a neatly wrapped package across the counter he was near. Jeff smiled a bit, it was small, perhaps he had listened to him after all about not making a huge deal out of his birthday. Ripping it open, he carefully looked inside to find something simple, yet undeniably meaningful. It was an Autobot shield, like the ones that the others had on their plating, hanging from a long chain. "I know it's not the biggest gift I'll be giving you all day." Prowl explained "But I figured... Well, Ratchet and I both figured, really." He corrected himself "That now that you'll soon be an Autobot, you needed a shield of your own." He added.

Jeff ran his hand along the emblem quietly, stunned to silence. He'd met a few Autobot kids on his trip to another base with Sideswipe, but none of them had had one to his knowledge. "Dad... I... Wow." Jeff dangled it in front of him, feeling a happiness as it rose through his body "You guys really didn't have to... I mean, I don't..." He paused "Thanks, thanks a lot." He added.

He slowly pulled it around his neck and let it drop. Deep inside, he knew that despite his shock, he would wear it proudly for the remainder of his life. A sign of who he was, and what he was a part of, something to be proud of no matter what. "It looks good on you." Proud stated with a great amount of pride in his voice "And if you ask me, you have earned the right to wear it." He noted "You've come far in a year." He added.

"Okay, okay, enough mush." Jeff said, his face turning a bright tomato red "You're making me blush." He added.

Prowl smiled at the now seventeen year old fondly. Though he was sure that Jeff would never understand how far he'd come, he did. Where there had been a boy in front of him when they'd first met, he now saw a young man. One that although he had much to learn still, he was more than proud to call his son. "Yes, I suppose that is true enough." Prowl replied, tilting his head a little bit "Tell me though, do you not feel any different?" He questioned.

"Happier." Jeff smiled "I guess it's just hard to believe that it's already been a year." He shook his head "I mean around this time last year, I was still fighting, and I mean literally, fighting, for my next meal." He added "I'm sorry I've been such a jerk about celebrating." He finally spoke up "I just... I didn't want you to feel like you were obligated to. And I was so used to it being just another day..."

"I understand." Prowl nodded his head "Which is why I toned down your party the smallest bit." He smirked "But I haven't called it off." He then added "Now get dressed, brush your teeth, grab a bite to eat, and be ready in twenty minutes." He then added "No son of mine is going to be late for his own party, fashionably so, or otherwise." He teased.

Jeff could have argued, but he sighed gently to himself. If nothing else, it could be fun, and thus, he relented, quickly jogging off towards his bedroom. Prowl smirked to himself, having known that the gift would work the magic he'd hoped it would. Humming to himself, he hoped quietly that the birthday would, if nothing else, go off without a hitch.