(Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers; just Anwen and any other OC's I've added throughout the story thus far.)
(Authors Note: Hello again dearest readers, fellow writers, fangirls (fanboys) and gamers. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far because I've been having so much fun writing it for all of you (and myself) to enjoy. Thank you all again for the positive feedback and inspiring comments. I enjoy reading them and draw further inspiration from them. So in a way, you guys fuel my creativity and keep my hamster wheel running LOL. Also, like I said in my last chapter, I'm not trying to rush Anwen's relationship with the twins, nor am I planning to keep it on simmer. Just bear with me and let things take their course. Trust me, I understand the anticipation, but they'll become 'official' in due time. I just want to give their relationship development the attention and love it deserves. That aside, thank you all so much for sticking around to read my FF. I'm glad my work brings joy to all of you in some form or another and I look forward to adding more content. Until next time, stay safe and stay awesome!)
"English/French"
'Mental thoughts'
"Flashbacks" (and sometimes sarcasm or emphasis)
{Cybertronian}
::Sparkbonds::
:Speaker talk:
::Comm. Link::
Chapter 18
-1020-
Anwen was now in her apartment taking a shower while the twins were back at the base and using the wash racks. Even though Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had activated their holoforms during their beach outing, they unintentionally ran into a rather muddy patch of road while driving around the island and had asked to clean themselves off before taking Anwen up on her offer to hang out in her living quarters. Of course she was fine with the idea because she too felt inclined to shower after walking along the beach. Plus, this would give her some time to tidy up her apartment and start a load of laundry.
After fifteen minutes of shampooing, scrubbing, shaving and rinsing, Anwen stepped out of the shower feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated. Upon squeezing out her damp hair and drying off her body, she set to work applying a healthy coat of lotion on her fair skin as a means to keep everything moisturized and prevent irritation. While doing this, she wondered if car wax was the equivalent of moisturizer to a Cybertronian. This thought brought a fond smile to her freckled face as her mind drifted towards the twins. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she felt the familiar tugging sensation in her chest; but rather than it being an inconvenient/worrisome nuisance, it was warm and comforting, and almost felt like she was being hugged.
With a smile, the young ginger finished hydrating her skin and began to gently comb out her wet curls before gathering up her damp towels and tossing them into the washing machine with her used swimsuits and pool towels. Upon starting the wash cycle, Anwen headed back into her room and donned a pair of panties and a bra, to which she then decided to make up her bed so it would look more presentable. Okay, so she was terrible about doing that particular chore, but at least the rest of her apartment was always tidy and neat. She just didn't see the point of making her bed since she lived alone and would end up collapsing into it at the end of the day. No matter: it was time to change out the sheets anyway.
Placing Morris (her stuffed moose) on top of the dresser, Anwen set to work stripping off the pillowcases and tossing them into the nearby laundry hamper before setting the comforter and pillows aside for the time being. Stripping off the sheets, she too tossed them into the hamper to be washed after the towels were finished and transferred into the dryer. Stepping out of her room and over to the small linen closet in the hallway, Anwen pulled out a fresh set of queen-size sheets and pillowcases where she then set to work making her bed anew.
Three minutes later, she stepped back and admired her work with a satisfied smile. Sure, it was just a mundane task, but it was nice to take pride in one's work no matter how simple or insignificant it seemed. With a sigh, Anwen then placed Morris back on the bed and stepped over to her small walk-in closet, to which she began searching for an outfit to wear for Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's upcoming visit. Of course, she didn't want to dress too casual, nor did she want to look too fancy.
Finally, after a few minutes of debating, she settled on a pair of black ballet flats and one of her skater dresses: it was navy blue in color and had little white stars that formed various constellations all over it. With a smile, Anwen momentarily retreated back into her bathroom and brushed her teeth before gently brushing out her (damp) hair and applying a few drops of rose oil behind her ears and onto her wrists. Afterwards, she slipped a scrunchie over her wrist for later use and stepped out of the bathroom/bedroom to check the overall status of the rest of her apartment.
Upon entering the kitchen, she pulled out her Pyrex glass measuring cup and filled it with cool tap water, to which she then began watering the succulents on her windowsill. Said plants included a Crassula Ovata (Jade Plant), an Aloe Vera plant, and a Sedum Spurium (Roseum). Granted, her plants didn't require frequent watering, but they were currently due for one and she enjoyed caring for them despite the fact that they didn't require much attention...which was fine. With her work schedule, it was a nice arrangement having these tiny, semi-independent plants to brighten up her living space and provide a touch of green here and there.
Along with her succulents, Anwen had a small collection of crystal prisms that hung in her window. They would catch the sunlight and make tiny rainbows dance across her kitchen, which was lovely and gave the surrounding space a touch of whimsy. With a smile, the young ginger dried out her measuring cup and placed it back in the cupboard from whence it came before moving over to the living room. Looking around, she couldn't find anything out of place or needing tidying up: The bookshelf, entertainment system, coffee table and desk were free of dust. Her looms and knitting supplies were organized. And the carpet, couch and chair had been recently vacuumed. All in all, everything was as it should be.
Perfect.
With that, Anwen slipped back into her bedroom to check her phone to see if she had any messages. Nope. Sure, she'd get texts from Maggie and some of her old high school/college friends here and there, but she always hoped that her brother would reach out and contact her. She hadn't seen or heard from Liam in months and it wasn't like him to just cut her off like that. Not wanting to upset herself by thinking the worst had happened to him, Anwen returned to the kitchen and began filling the kettle with water.
Just as she was about to turn on the stove, there came a knock at the front door. "Juste un moment (Just a _)," she slipped over to the entrance where upon opening the door, she was met with a familiar pair of holoforms. "Bonjour, Sideswipe. Sunstreaker. Veuillez entrer (Please come in)."
"Thanks for inviting us over here, Ani," Sideswipe replied as he and his brother entered the apartment and phased out their shoes as a means to be polite. "So this is what your abode looks like. It's very nice."
"Merci. By the way, can I get you both something to drink?"
Sunstreaker suddenly pulled out a bottle of Jameson Whiskey from his coat pocket and offered her a smirk, "We've already got that taken care of, but would you permit us to use a couple of your glasses?"
"Bien sûr (Of course)," she led them into the kitchen and opened one of her cupboards to reveal an array of coffee mugs. "Sorry for not having any proper glasses, but I generally drink everything out of a mug. I hope that's okay?"
He gave her nod, "It's fine. To be fair, Sideswipe and I typically drink out of cubes, so it doesn't matter to us how you consume your beverages."
"Bon point (Good _)," she stated and pulled out a matching pair of fine bone china mugs with red maple leaves decorating their exterior. "Here you are. This is my fanciest set, so I hope they'll suffice."
A small smirk lined the older twin's face as he graciously took the mugs from her and began pouring himself and his brother some whiskey, "They'll work just fine. Thank you, Anwen."
"Chose sûre (Sure thing)."
"So, Ani, did you still want to show us some of your baking skills? We'd be happy to make something with you despite the fact that we can't ingest solid, organic food."
"J'adorerais (I'd love to)," she cheerfully smiled and gave a curt nod before turning on the stove to boil some water. "I was originally going to show you both how to make pudding chomeur, but after checking my pantry and fridge to see if I had all the necessary ingredients, I discovered that I am completely out of heavy cream. So instead, I'll let you two glance through a few of my cookbooks and find an alternative recipe to make. If that's alright?"
"Sure thing, sweetspark," he winked, causing a soft dusting of pink to appear across her freckled cheeks.
XXXXX
While Sunstreaker and Sideswipe continued to search for a recipe to make, Anwen waited for the water to boil and selected a coffee mug to use: it was ceramic with a white base and floral design with the words World's Okayest Sister largely printed on both sides.
With her mug selected, Anwen then opened the adjacent cupboard and pulled out a tea strainer, a tin of Twinings, Lady Grey tea, and a small measuring spoon, to which she then measured out a scoop of said tea into the strainer and placed it within her mug.
Upon returning the tea tin and spoon back into the cupboard, Anwen glanced over to see both twins staring at her with fond looks on their faces. "Quelle (What)," she shyly asked.
"Oh, nothing," Sideswipe casually replied with a boyish smile. "We're just watching you make tea."
"Okay then...But I'm curious as to why? I mean, it's nothing special."
"The task itself may not be of any significance, but you are," Sunstreaker stated before taking a sip of his whiskey.
At his response and sincerity, Anwen felt her heart skip a beat just as the kettle began to whistle, signaling that the water was hot and ready. Turning off the stove and removing said kettle, she carefully poured some of the heated water into the tea strainer until it was at an optimal level in her mug. Afterwards, she set it back on one of the unused burners and waited for her tea to strain to the desired consistency. Once she deemed it perfect, Anwen removed the strainer and dumped the used tea leaves into a large (sealed) ceramic jar underneath her sink between the garbage can and her personal recycle bin.
"What's in the jar," Sideswipe curiously asked as he too sipped his drink.
"It's compost for the community garden," she casually answered as she closed the cabinet door and washed the strainer before setting it in the small drying rack beside the sink. "Basically, it's organic material that can be easily broken down and used as fertilizer. Some examples include banana and potato peels, apple cores and used tea leaves. I like to think of it as a means of reducing my carbon footprint and returning some nutrients back to the Earth."
"Hmm, that's actually a good idea."
"Oui, it is. Of course, I always try to make more eco-friendly choices in my daily routines. My theory is: we only have this one Earth and if she dies, then humanity might as well follow, because there is no planet B for us to colonize and fuck up."
At her bluntness, both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe couldn't help but smirk. "That's a rather interesting way of phrasing it," the older twin commented.
"Mhmm," she agreed while sipping her tea. "But that aside, have you both found a recipe for us to make?"
"We have," he replied with a nod as he gestured to a page in her French cookbook:
Glancing down at the recipe, Anwen couldn't help the smile that appeared across her face, "Ratatouille...That's one of my favorite dishes."
"Really," Sideswipe curiously asked.
"Oui. My Mother used to make it with the vegetables we'd grow in our garden. Oh, we can head down to the community garden and gather what we need after I finish my tea...if that's alright?"
"Of course it is."
"Géniale (Great)! By the way, you two are more than welcome to make yourselves at home while you're here. Feel free to use the entertainment system, sit wherever you'd like, and explore to your sparks' content."
"Thanks, Ani. We'll be sure to take you up on that offer."
"Très bien (Alrighty). Oh, before I forget: I'm in the process of doing laundry, so I apologize in advance for the rumbling noises you'll probably hear once the dryer starts going."
"No worries; we understand," he casually shrugged and sipped his whiskey while his brother further studied the recipe:
"You know, while I find the majority of these culinary dishes repulsive, I'm quite fascinated by the one we'll be making," Sunstreaker stated as he looked up from the cookbook to face the young ginger.
"And why's that?"
"Well, knowing it's one of your favorites is one reason; but I'm mostly impressed by the amount of time it takes to actually make this dish. It seems rather inconvenient to spend so much time on something you're just going to consume."
His remark brought a smile to her face, "Sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for. As an artist, I'm sure you understand how rewarding the end results can be when you've spent so much time on a project."
"That I do," he agreed with a slight smirk, which caused her to blush.
"Well, think of the cook, or chef, as a culinary artist in which the dish is the canvas: The more time they dedicate to it, the better it'll be. Of course, simple dishes can be amazing too; but in the end, it really depends on the person making it. If you don't put any time, effort and care into your dish, then it'll turn out horribly."
"You summed that up quite accurately."
She shrugged, "What can I say; I see cooking and baking as forms of art."
"In that case, we look forward to seeing some of your skills," Sideswipe replied with a flirtatious wink.
XXXXX
-Eight minutes later-
Anwen was now riding in the elevator with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as they made their way down to the lobby. She had recently used the scrunchie on her wrist to pull her hair up into a ponytail and was currently wearing a pair of gardening gloves while carrying a small flower basket across her arm. Inside said basket was a pair of pruning shears and her compost jar. Seeing as how she'd be gathering vegetables for the ratatouille recipe, she might as well empty it while she was there. 'Kill two birds with one stone,' she figured.
Upon exiting the elevator, Anwen led the twins out back and over to the community garden where there was a variety of produce to pick from. Before selecting the vegetables needed, she removed her compost jar from the basket and emptied it in the designated mulch bed. Afterwards, she showed Sunstreaker and Sideswipe how to harvest eggplants, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs, while also explaining the difference between ripe vegetables and non-ripe ones. Sure, they could have simply looked up this information on the internet, but they wanted to learn it all from watching her. That, and she just looked so cute while she was teaching. Truly, it was sparkwarming to see her light up with so much enthusiasm.
As they were finishing up gathering the necessary ingredients, the weather took a rather nasty turn. Rain heavily began to fall as the sound of thunder rumbled overhead, which made Anwen rather nervous because of all the metal implants in her leg and ankles. This fear didn't go unnoticed by Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who saw how uneasy she became as soon as the sky darkened.
Deciding they had enough vegetables, the three of them headed back into the building where upon reaching the elevator, the young ginger looked over at the two holoforms and shyly asked, "Would you both mind if we took the stairs back up? I never felt comfortable riding in elevators during thunderstorms."
"Sure thing, sweetspark. If you'd like, I can carry the produce while Sunny carries you."
"Oh, I appreciate the offer, but that's not really nec-Eep!" She emitted a surprised squeak as she was suddenly swept off her feet by the older twin as he cradled her in his strong, protective arms while his brother took a hold of the produce basket:
"We insist," Sunstreaker replied with a neutral expression. "Besides, it's nine floors to your apartment and from what I understand, your implants have a tendency to cause you some discomfort."
"That's true. But really, you don't have to carry me."
"No one is forcing me to do anything, sparklight," his eyes softened as they met her gaze, while a small smile made its way across his lips, causing Anwen's heart rate to increase. She was sure her cheeks resembled the tomatoes they harvested.
"...W-Well...merci."
"Of course," he curtly replied as he and his brother began their ascension up the nine flights of stairs.
As they walked, Anwen couldn't help but admire how gentle Sunstreaker was holding her and how warm his holoform was: it was almost like she was being carried by a real human. Out of instinct, she rested her head on his shoulder and felt him lightly squeeze her frame closer to his own. It was nice. She felt so safe and warm in his embrace that it was becoming hard for her to keep her eyes open. He was just so damn comfy.
Meanwhile, the twins shared a private conversation with each other while Anwen unintentionally started to nod off. ::Thanks for offering to let me carry her.::
::Sure thing, Sunny. I'm glad you're enjoying this.::
::I am...I'm also sorry for doubting you before.::
::You knooOow...I don't wanna say that 'I told you so', buuUuuttt: I told you so!::
::Yea, yea, whatever.::
::So, are you gonna tell her that your first night of graveyard patrol starts tonight?::
::I told her about it the other day, but I'll remind her later. I don't want to disappoint her by bringing it up now. Not when we've still got the rest of the afternoon and part of the evening to spend with her.::
::True; that would be a downer.::
::Hey, Sides?::
::Yea, Sunny?::
::Thanks.::
::For what?::
::For not listening to me...and for continuing to pursue this whole sparkbonding thing.::
::Oh, yea, no problem. I'm just glad you finally admitted that you were wrong about Ani.::
::Mhmm,:: he glanced down at the young ginger in his arms and felt his spark quicken its pace when she snuggled against his chest.
