A/N: I feel like I should spam you all with drabbles to make up for my shameful, horrible procrastination. So, I hope you all don't mind. R&R. Enjoy!
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Family
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Optimus gazed around the family room, his blue eyes, not as bright now that he was in his holoform as they were when he was in his robotic one, falling over each member of his family.
Crosshairs, Drift, and Bumblebee were sitting on the couch, all three pairs of eyes focused on the TV screen that had everyone's attention. Hound was reclined in the recliner, his eyes also watching the big screen. Shane and Tessa were lounging on the loveseat, snuggling, nice and warm. It made a small smile cross his face at the sight of them. Cade had come a long way; he no longer snapped at them for touching or being so close. Time, Optimus had found, had opened Cade up and he now saw Shane as a son. Granted, he was a son that Cade would gladly pound into the ground with a hammer, but a son nonetheless.
Speaking of Cade…
He was currently pressed into Optimus' side, much like Tessa was with Shane, fast asleep. Cade had been working a lot in his barn and he hadn't had many opportunities to relax or rest lately. So, family night was the perfect time for him to relax and it seemed his body had taken it as a chance to catch up on the sleep he had missed while working.
Optimus rubbed Cade's arm and pulled him in closer, enjoying the mere presence of his beloved spark mate. He had missed this, him, them. His family. Although he had been back from disposing of the seed, and his creators, for quite some time, Optimus still missed them greatly from time to time, feeling much like he had when he had been away. They were still here, he was here again, but it had not sunk in, not quite yet. In the months that he had been back, he feared that he would once again be taken from them to embark on a mission of some sort. Or they would be taken away from him; Optimus was not sure which would be worse.
Perhaps he was afraid…
No. There was no doubt about it: he was afraid. Afraid that his Autobots, the Yeagers, his family would be taken from him. Optimus had already lost so many of his kind, his allies, his comrades, his friends…he could not lose his family as well. While he was a strong warrior, even a blow such as that would severely cripple him. Just the very thought of their demise paralyzed him in a way that he dare not speak of.
These humans and his Autobots were all he had left. They were his family. They meant everything to him and he would do whatever it took to keep them safe. Even if that meant sacrificing his life.
Humans may not be all that he once believed them to be, but these humans, his mate, Cade, Tessa, and Shane, had shown him what they could truly become. Without realizing it until he was light years away, they had become part of his family. Not even Sam, who had been a friend to him and his Autobots for many years, held such a privilege. If that did not speak volumes, Optimus did not know what did.
Cade stirred by his side and Optimus looked down at him, concerned that he had somehow caused his human to wake. But he was still sleeping and Optimus relaxed, relieved that Cade was getting the rest he needed. His eyes turned to the TV screen and he laughed inwardly as he realized something.
The movie they had all been watching was Lilo and Stitch.