(Please see all previous disclaimers, m preg referenced here)
Aquaformer and her mate slept or rested, whatever the case was, for several hours before the sparklings they had woke. Aquaformer stirred first and headed for the young ones. She knew they were ready to get up and be fed before playing a bit. Optimus, though usually quick to rise and shine, took a bit longer as his sparked systems slowed him a bit. He took time also because if he moved too quickly, he became dizzy.
Aquaformer had all six little ones in their special high chairs when Optimus finally made his way into the kitchen type area. Optimus smiled as Aquaformer worked hard to feed the little ones. "May I help, love?" Optimus asked, leaning against a wall for a little support.
Aquaformer looked to her mate and smiled. "Only if you sit down while you feed them. I don't want you or them hurt" Aquaformer replied gently.
Optimus nodded and pulled up a chair that would fit his large frame. He took a bottle of sparkling energon and tried to feed one of the little ones, but Crimson Rose was giving her father a hard time. "Come on, little one" Optimus said gently, "drink your energon."
Aquaformer looked over and watched her mate. "She likes it when you make a game out of it" Aquaformer gently informed her mate.
Optimus was a bit surprised and yet saddened. He realized he knew very little about his precious sparklings, but determined to make up for it, he tried flying the bottle. Crimson Rose was not impressed at all. "Please little one" Optimus asked softly.
"Try pretending it is a car doing tricks" Aquaformer suggested without even looking as she finished feeding two little ones and started on a third little one.
Optimus took the hint and began to present the energon bottle as a fancy car doing tricks. Little Crimson Rose was fascinated and gave an excited shriek. Optimus pretended to do a few more tricks before he "popped a wheelie" with the bottle and headed it towards Crimson Rose's mouth. The little femme eagerly took the bottle, excited at what it had done in her daddy's hands. Optimus smiled. "Thank you, my love" Optimus told his mate as he continued feeding his daughter.
"You are welcome, my beloved" Aquaformer responded warmly. Soon all the sparklings were fed and ready to go.
Optimus was a bit puzzled. "Why are they already ready to go. We hardly got any time with them" Optimus asked, unknowingly revealing he was close to having a mood swing.
"Hound and Hide are planning on schooling them for a little bit. For even though they are not very old, they need to be taught the Autobot way very early" Aquaformer explained. Optimus slowly nodded. In his sparkling-induced befuddled processor, he had forgotten about that. He allowed the little ones and Aquaformer to leave. "Don't worry, my beloved. I will drop them off and then I will come home and take care of you and your needs." Optimus blushed a bit then and watched as his family left. He hoped his mate would come back soon, as he realized he needed her in more ways than one.