The Diego Diaries: Santa Ho-Ho 9
-0-In the night
He hurried toward the apartment tower having just landed. The crowds were thinned enough for him to get through relatively easily. He reached the doors, flashed through the lobby and waited for an elevator. Entering, he went up to the 24th floor, hurried to the apartment and let himself in. Dropping his duffel bag, he walked to the counter where a note was propped up to a couple of dishes.
"Bring them and hurry. - Alor"
He smiled slightly and turned dishes in servos. Juggling them, he exited and hurried to another elevator, stepping in to go upward. By the time he reached the top, the crowds were gone so he stepped out and walked to the door. Tapping it with a ped, he looked down as it opened and a little yellow and white faced botlet peered out. "Uncle Flint! Come in!" Sunspot said pulling the door open farther.
He entered and paused looking down at the floor. It was littered with toys and apparel. It was also littered with boxes, all of which contained a sparkling. "Slag. I knew I was going to be late," he said with a grin. Four little sparklings grinned up at him.
"What did you bring? Something edible?" Sunstreaker asked helping Uraya stand up, walk a step or two before sitting on her bottom again. She flapped her arms and looked at Sunstreaker, tweeting her request for HELP ME! in her own dainty way.
Flint snorted and grinned as Alor stepped around the corner to take the dishes. "You make the mistake of thinking I prepare food."
"You almost make the mistake of feminizing me because I do," Alor said taking the dishes out of his servos. A gimlet optic put him firmly in his place as the chief cook of Apartment 21, 24th floor turned to take them to the kitchen where half the bots were organizing dinner. Another door knock turned Flint and he walked with a grin to open it. Stepping back as delivery mechs brought in big containers with their dinners, he watched as they walked through the mine field of toys and other stuff to put the boxes on the counter in the big sprawling kitchen. Looking around, the delivery younglings smiled. "This is awesome."
"It can be yours in about nine million years and a Matrix later," Ratchet said as he sat at the table bouncing Iacon on his lap. She was standing, her level of contentment orbiting Jupiter as she flapped and laughed while bounced up and down.
"Sounds like work," one of the younglings said with a chuckle.
Prime grinned watching them go as he sprawled on the couch near the fireplace. Spirit was with him as they tried to decipher the directions for the Kre-O 'dollie' of Prowl. "Thank you," he said.
The younglings grinned and nodded. "You are welcome," one of them said as they left. Flint shut the door and walked to the couch to sit across from Prime. "Things look sixes and sevens here."
"You should have been here earlier," Optimus said with a chuckle.
"I tried. It took longer to leave the fort. We have planned the trajectory of the big migrations we have on the sensors. We can go over it when you call a meeting one of these orns."
Prime nodded. "Sounds good. Tomorrow is the last day of Christmas Surprise followed by the last day of weekend. Unless there is a worry we can wait until the week starts again. There are a number of things to discuss and some of them don't include football."
Flint nodded, then Miler walked out. "We are going buffet style. First the younglings. Then the adults. Sparklings can come next or take a sippie cup now. If you can let us know who wants to eat, we can organize their cups. Come and get it," he said with a grin. Then Miler turned walking back inside the kitchen.
Flint and Optimus glanced at the kitchen, then each other. "Are you hungry, Spirit?"
He looked up at his atar and nodded. "I am."
Prime gathered him and rose, putting the little directions sheet down. Walking with Flint, he entered the dining room and sat the little bot in his chair. The two of them gathered the younglings together arranging their places and handing them plates filled with all manner of 'traditional' Earth Christmas Surprise foods carefully styled to look human while having a full bodied Cybertronian flavor mix. 'Ham' and 'mashed potatoes'. 'Vegetables'. 'Salads' and 'eggnog' among other things Prowl had ordered, all of them personally organized by Rampage himself sat on plates looking appetizing. The 'desert' and drinks were purely Cybertronian. All of the fancy designs on the new foods were intriguing so the adults loaded up, gathering at the table together.
Dinner was leisurely, the occasional sparkling running over to 'take a bite' before running back to play madly. The little femmes toddled around, their courage growing with each successful ped fall. Sunstreaker never took his optics off them through dinner.
"Football tomorrow. You two ready?" Flint asked as he refilled his glass with high grade.
"We'll plant them," Sideswipe said lifting Kaon onto his lap. "Vos won't know what hit them."
"Are you going to cheat this time?" Ratchet asked with amusement.
They both looked at him and grinned. "No. Everyone is on to the scam," Sideswipe said.
"You will have to up your game, son. I am very shocked and disappointed that they figured it out last time," Ratchet said as he spooned 'potatoes' into Orion's pie hole. Praxus himself a very fine youngling mech stood and waited his turn, his optics merry and bright.
Keeping with the Christmas Surprise theme of course.
"I can't wait. You will win, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe," Sunspot said as the other little mechs nodded. "I think you will be winners tomorrow. No one can be better than you."
The twins grinned and Sideswipe kissed Sunspot's helm. "From your lips to Primus's audials."
Sunspot nodded. "That's right."
A chuckle greeted that as the conversation carried on, desert was had and lounging in the living room accomplished. They watched the rerun of the program on Channel 2 congratulating and cheering each youngling as they stepped forward. The hokey pokey with the little ones won the orn however as even the mechs and Sunspot agreed that they were 'way cuter'.
The evening passed, then groups began to beg off helping to clean up and gather things. The twins disappeared with the infants and Bluestreak, probably to get ready for the game.
/... vanity! Vanity! ... thy name is vanity, Sunstreaker …/ Ratchet thought as they put all the toys into one of the boxes. "I'm coming here tomorrow, Prowl, for leftovers."
Prowl snorted. "Standing invitation, Ratchet," he said as he helped Tie and Ravel gather their things.
"This was lovely, Prowl. I always enjoy your company, you and the family," Ravel said sweetly as he carefully put Tie's book into its box.
Prowl grinned and glanced at Ratchet who was smiling nearby. "I always enjoy having you and Tie, Ravel."
Ravel looked up and paused a moment. "We love this family. We were alone so long, I can't remember a moment of happiness since The Fall. It is so wonderful to be here, to do things and feel so happy."
Prowl nodded and squeezed Ravel's arm. "We are so happy you are here."
Tie looked at Ravel and grinned. "We will have to have dinner some night for you and Optimus, right Ravel?"
Ravel looked up at Tie. "Oh, Tie. Why would a Prime have dinner at our house? We are only working mechs and he's the Prime."
Tie snorted and grinned. "We're going to have to have Jarro come by again. You need a tune up, Ravie."
Ravel looked at him, then shook his helm. "I don't understand you some times, Tie." He turned to Prowl and nodded the old way. "This was so much fun, Prowl. I am so delighted to have come."
"Come again, Ravel," Prowl said with a grin. Optimus nodded as well as the two bots walked to the door. "We can hold an elevator, Ratchet if you want," Ravel said.
"Do, Ada," Ratchet said picking up the last thing and tossing it in the box Ironhide was holding. They walked out and Ratchet turned to Prowl and Prime. "My family is a working class family who hold traditions about the Prime like they were written in platinum. That is why they feel like they do and act like they do. They are very traditional and religious."
"They remind me of my genitors, Ratchet. I am delighted to know them," Optimus said nodding.
Ratchet nodded and grinned. "They are the best bots I knew. Present company excluded of course."
A chorus of hoots met that as everyone took a kid, a bag and headed for the door. When they were all gone, Prime turned to Prowl. "What a night."
"Fabulous night," Prowl said with a grin.
And it was.
-0-At the 24th floor or as it was called 'the long good night'
They stood in the corridor moving only when someone was coming as they chatted the last bit of chat possible. Pausing at last at Blackjack, Alor and Flint's apartment, they made their good nights. They continued on and chatted in front of Tie and Ravel's door, at last making their good nights there. When they entered their own apartment the sparklings were ready for their beds.
Ratchet looked at Ironhide who stood holding the heavily laden box filled with carefully packed toys. "Why don't we hold off on their last gifts until tomorrow morning, Ironhide. Everyone looks tired."
Sunspot who was leaning against Ironhide looked up at Ratchet. "I think that would be a good idea, Ada."
Ratchet chuckled picking Sunspot up as he walked to the berthroom. "Don't worry about a bath, Sunny Bunny. Tomorrow," Ratchet said putting him down on his berth, tucking in his blankets and quilts. "Good night and Merry Christmas Surprise, son."
"Merry Christmas Surprise, Ada," Sunspot said cuddling down into the warmth. "Thank you, Ada. I had fun."
"You're welcome," Ratchet replied. "You were an awesome sparkling."
He grinned and watched as Ironhide entered putting Sunny's boxes of toys along the wall by his toy box. Ironhide turned and leaned down kissing him on the cheek. "We'll play tomorrow. Go to recharge, sparkling. I love you."
"I love you, Atar," Sunspot said with a grin.
They turned walking out and shut off the light, his nightlight throwing a bit of illumination in the darkness. Turning toward the living room, they paused. "Which one do you want, Ironhide?"
"I'll take the one that looks like me," Ironhide said staring down at two little bots who stood looking up at them with ginormous grins and dollies galore.
"They both do," Ratchet said eyeballing both who eyeballed them back.
"I'll take that one," he said nodding at Orion.
"Good. I'll take the cute one," Ratchet said picking up his little doppelganger.
Ironhide scooped up Orion and turned smirking. "Ha ha, Ratchet. Your old Ada thinks you aren't as cute as your brother."
"Your old Atar wanted big yellow spots around your optics," Ratchet said entering Praxus's room. He leaned out. "Don't trust the slagger, sparkling."
Orion grinned at his ada from the top of Ironhide's shoulder as he disappeared into his berthroom. When that was accomplished, Hero was fished out of Ironhide's carry hold and placed on the soft nest of blankets that constituted the bottom of her crib. Tucking her in, Ironhide smiled. "She's slagging cute."
"She is," Ratchet said with a smirk. "Up the awesome scale with the others."
Ironhide nodded and followed Ratchet out to the living room where they paused to look at the little trees. "We have to take all this down eventually."
"I know. I'll miss the color and shininess. How about the first orn of the week. When I care more," Ratchet said moving to sit on his chair.
Ironhide nodded walking over to sit himself. "Been a fine orn, Ratchet."
"It has," Ratchet said. "Prowl makes me laugh and Prime does too. I like to see him unwind and be himself. Good bots, them. I'm glad Flint finally made it. The migration sounds huge."
"It does," Ironhide said nodding. He squeezed Ratchet's servo, the two linking digits. "Wanna frag?"
"Would."
Silence.
"You too tired too?"
"I am, Only One."
Pause.
"That is some fine heart on my wrench. I wish I could tell you how much I love that present."
"Thought about you when I saw a big diamond on the ground on the bluffs. I wanted to get you something romantic," Ironhide said.
"You did," Ratchet said with a grin. "I will treasure it always."
"Shined up really good. Fabrications has someone who knows how to cut and polish big hard stuff like that. I am going to be giving the schools a collection of geodes. Been finding them on the ground by the railroad tracks when I go around underground. Some humans call them thunder eggs. You cut them in half and polish the daylights out of them. They're pretty inside."
Pause. Initiate. Search. Thunder eggs, noun. Definition and sample pictures. Download. End initiation.
"I like those, Ironhide. Do you think you could make a couple to spare, nice ones?" Ratchet asked.
"Sure. Why?"
"My ada would like one I think. He's really keen on different things that are organic."
"Your ada doesn't get his good fortune sometimes, Ratchet."
"I know. He's so sweet. I wish I could tell you how many bots have asked if my genitors were always the way they are. They were, you know. Gentle and accepting of their lot in life. The backbone of Cybertron, those kinds of bots. They deserved the moon but they settled for what they could have," Ratchet said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Yet still, Ada doesn't sometimes get how things are changed. He's always going to be respectful and old school to Optimus. All Primes are treated that way as a matter of respect in his book."
"Even when they don't deserve it. Does he know Sentinel is here?" Ironhide asked looking at Ratchet.
"No, I don't think so," Ratchet replied.
They sat together quietly, then Ironhide rose and pulled Ratchet to his peds. "Let's go to bed. Tomorrow, the game begins and all that."
Ratchet nodded and together they walked to the berthroom pausing at the door. Ironhide looked at him and leaned in for a light kiss. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Only One."
Ratchet grinned. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Ironhide."
With that, they walked into their berthroom and the door closed behind them quietly. The lights in the window twinkled and the trees glowed. All was still. No one moved, not even a cyber mouse.
=0=TBC
2012 (12)