TRIGGER WARNING: More past abuse mentions from Optimus' side this time. Also mentioned major character death.

CHAPTER 6

Optimus barely recharged that night.

Dylan's admission he'd been physically "disciplined" by his father was one that he was familiar with. His processor rolled with memories of Sentinel's own punishments, and how he'd phrased it much the same way. He already had his own inkling of why the man was in prison, let alone why Dylan was on the streets, but he wouldn't probe him about it. Abuse... Was something that you needed to confront and talk about when you were ready after all. Yet that night, he approached the room that they'd set up while they'd been on their... Well, they'd call it adventure.

It wasn't much for a bedroom - but Hawk had gotten him a bed, a desk, and a TV all of which they'd fit into a small room off to the side of Optimus' "office". Dylan had been grateful for a private space. But mostly had crashed after the long day out with the younger bots. Optimus was thankful to see that the boy slept soundly, rested in the bed without so much as a stir. He watched for a few minutes, then turned to head back into the main room, greeted by Arcee. "Well, we almost made it twenty-four hours before the boys got him into trouble," She joked as Optimus approached her. "I can't believe it though, Soundwave on Earth... Hunting a kid."

Optimus couldn't believe it either. It made him more than a little nervous about just what Dylan's mom had hidden. If it was enough to grab the attention of Soundwave, Megatron was not far behind. That much he knew. "I'm worried at how badly this will end if he doesn't have proper authority reigning him in," Optimus admitted on the subject. "It's much easier when you have parental units around to back you up as they say."

Arcee shrugged as he said that. "Well it also gives us the advantage of not having to look after all of them," She explained. "You keep going back to the no-parent thing boss. What's on your mind?"

Optimus was silent, why did his trusted mechs and femmes know him so well? His optics softened as he thought about what she said. He knew exactly why it bothered him, and it was no secret. "In human years, my daughter would be about his age," Optimus pointed out after a moment. "... It brings back old scars I didn't think I still had."

It was Arcee's turn to be quiet, her optics lowered as she knew full well. Before Optimus had left for Earth, he'd lost everything - his family, his sparkmate, Elita-1, their unborn spark... It had been something that had almost made the Prime give up all hope. "It simply disgusts me... That we can lose almost all our young to the war. Including dmy own," Optimus began. "Yet humans can breed like turbo foxes, then abuse and discard their children like they are no more than garbage."

If Dylan had been on Cybertron, even in the midst of war he would never have spent a year on the streets. They'd taken care of the war orphans, and before that when the caste had been overthrown, they'd taken care of the orphaned and abused. Here, they placed them in a system and hoped for the best results. The thought was so alien, it bothered Optimus to his core.

He noticed as Arcee placed a servo on his arm, and turned to look her in the optics. "We weren't perfect either. You're proof of that," Optimus grunted. "But I agree. If there's one thing I could change..."

Optimus shook his helm, he knew full well they couldn't interfere as much as he wanted to. Arcee's next words did startle him either. "Maybe Mirage didn't have a bad idea when he said we should keep him?" Optimus raised an optic ridge. "When all of this is over, I mean. Can't save them all, but if we can save one..."

Optimus frowned, and felt it was out of the question entirely. Even if one of them wanted to take Dylan in permanently, the human government would fight it. He already had a war to deal with, and a new alliance to navigate. If they added in a human they barely knew and custody battles...

But the other part of him knew he'd want the same thing done if it were his child. Especially had they been through as much Dylan seemed to have. A thought occurred to his processor: a chance to start anew. Something he hadn't even considered in becoming Dylan's temporary guardian. Could it be Primus giving him a second chance?

He shook those thoughts from his mind. It was foolish to think that - Dylan was simply a boy brought to them by circumstance. And besides, to think of himself as a father now was a fool's errand in his mind. Especially when just a year ago, he'd been prepared to leave Earth at a moment's notice. They could have a life there, but some things, he'd decided, he couldn't do.

After a few minutes had passed, he gave Arcee his answer. "Perhaps the day will come we can reach out. But for now, we need not complicate the situation further," He replied after he'd finally found the right words. "I am going out on patrol - make sure that he doesn't move. I have a feeling he's going to make a habit out of sneaking out."

"Roger that."

As Optimus left - he promised himself he wouldn't consider the matter further.

Dylan was frustrated.

Being stuck on the base was worse than being grounded - or might as well have been. During the day, everyone had gone out to do their own things, which just left him and Optimus. The latter of whom had been in his office since before Dylan had woken up - and he figured wouldn't come out anytime... Well, he stood corrected.

The teenager looked up from his perch on the couch as the Autobot leader stepped out. "This sucks!" Dylan decided to get right into it rather than beat around the bush. "I should be out there skateboarding, or riding in Mirage. Don't you guys have a Nintendo or something?"

Optimus tilted his helm at him, an amused look on his face. "I'll remind you this is your punishment. You're not supposed to be having fun," The mech pointed out. "I'm sure you can find some other way to entertain yourself."

Dylan rolled his eyes, he looked thoughtfully at the mech a moment. Then back at his backpack on the couch, before speaking up. "Hey do you guys own this place? Or is someone renting it?"

Optimus was clearly perplexed. "Noah owns it... Why?"

Dylan only smirked, as Optimus went to grab his Energon cube he brought out some spray paint. For a moment, the mech looked ready to say something... But paused, as if curious to see what Dylan was doing. "Don't worry... It's not illegal in your own place, I think," Dylan pointed out. Shaking up the first can. "You gotta stay still for me though... Yeah, like that... Perfect."

Optimus sipped his Energon, confused but still figured it best to entertain whatever the boy was doing while he refueled. He sprayed away on an empty bit of wall that Optimus couldn't see, a smirk of satisfaction on his face. Optimus was admittedly curious, but Dylan was sure to keep him from looking... At least until: "Done!"

When the Autobot leader approached, Dylan felt like a bundle of nerves. Did the Autobots even understand art? Optimus' silence as he stopped behind him and looked at his graffiti art of his "guardian" didn't help matters at all either. "I know. I know the blue's a little off," Dylan explained. "But. I figured it wouldn't matter..."

"You're very talented."

Dylan stopped, him, talented? Dylan had heard a lot of things about his art: illegal, juvenile, even amateur hour from some other artists. But talented? That was new for him. "You don't have to be nice," he explained. "I know I got those fins on your head all wrong too looking at it... And the eyes -."

"Dylan, it looks excellent," Optimus offered, he looked the portrait up and down for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the boy. "Certainly I am not the first to say it."

Well... "You kind of are," Dylan admitted. "Maybe it's the illegal part of it, but most people hate my work."

He peered over to Optimus, who regarded it thoughtfully. His optics turned to look at Dylan once more before giving a proper response. "You may wish to find a healthier output. I agree," he explained. "But you captured your subject well, and show passion in your work."

Dylan felt himself blush, he lowered his eyes and smirked. "Uh... Thanks, I didn't expect that honestly," he managed. "I can do the rest of the base if you want, liven up things a bit here. I can do that logo of yours... Oh and maybe the other Bots."

Optimus chuckled and held up a hand to stop him. Clearly not wanting to go overboard. "Perhaps another time, for now, I think one is enough," Dylan shrugged, they could work on that. "For now, I think that's enough art."

Fine. Dylan turned to Optimus one more time. "But I still need something to do! Especially when everyone's out all day," He followed Optimus into his office. "Or do you want me whining about it all day?"

Optimus almost seemed amused once more by his gentle threat. The Autobot shook his head, then looked at a stack of human papers he had been asked to scan - and set it in front of him. "You can help me with paperwork - if you'd prefer that."

Dylan's eyes bugged, and he suddenly regretted his choice. Instead, he cleared his throat. "You know what, I think I hear Nickelodeon calling," he chuckled as he started toward the door. "You should get out too, though. Y'know..."

"Hmmm?" Optimus questioned.

"It's been two days and I've seen you in here more than anything. It seems like you don't seem to have much "fun"," Dylan explained, he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. "Maybe we can do us both a favor..."

Optimus looked at his work, then at Dylan. It seemed like for a minute, he would argue he needed to work. But his answer surprised him... "What kind of fun did you have in mind?"

Dylan's smirk widened - he already had a few ideas.