HB. The Manor. More Aftermath

[dens_extra_pups]

Optimus: *standing just outside the trees and waiting patiently. Knows that Mira went into the little wood to finally grieve for the mate that was lost so long ago, and she's unwilling to disturb that grief. Instead she'll wait here till the smaller woman comes out, and then speak with her*

Mira: *eventually emerges, optics still a bit bright* *doorwings are no longer subconsciously held in the tight V that she usually holds them in, and overall, the frontliner looks a bit more relaxed*

Optimus: *steps forward to meet the ancient soldier. Quietly and gently* He's resting after surgery.

Mira: *small nod* *quietly* He went and took that hit for me, knowing full well I'd kick his aft for it...

Optimus: *softly* I know. I went to look. *gently* He couldn't stand the thought of you dying, and he didn't realize how you feel.

Mira: ... *very soft snort* That idiot.

Optimus: *mouth quirks slightly at one corner* He hadn't realized how he felt till then, either.

Mira: ... *facepalm*

Optimus: *quiet humour as she turns to walk with Mira toward the house* Had he ever stopped to think about anything other than battle strategy or how to get female attention in his life? Besides the time he plotted for five weeks on how to get Lumen in a small room and then backfire on him.

Mira: ... *snickerfit as she recalls that memory file*

Optimus: *wryly* So how long did that game of fart tag go on?

Mira: ... About a vorn and a half.

Optimus: *shakes her head. Then looks back down at Mira* *gently* How are you feeling?

Mira: *quietly* Better.

Optimus: *with that genuine warmth that has led bots to follow her through fire and storm* I'm glad.

Mira: *quieter* I was askin' for a medic... At least, that's who I was meanin' t' ask for.

Optimus: *slight smile* She's here. She put Ordnance back together. And gave him a few more dents.

Mira: *soft snort* Did Dad and Uncle Sides threaten to give him some new ones, too?

Optimus: *gravely* They're locked in the TV room while your mother talks to him.

Mira: *snickerfitdie*

Optimus: And I think Vector's giving them a lecture about widowing you when you've just gotten your husband back.

Mira: *snerk*

Optimus: I don't think they're listening.

Mira: If they tried ta widow me again, Ordnance'd sit on 'em.

Optimus: So you're not worried at all. *opens the front door to let Mira in, then chuckles as she hears Ironhide talking to Perceptor in the library. She still feels touched at the diligent loyalty of the old red soldier, and his love for her just because she's an Optimus*

Mira: ... Should I be? *confident in her wordmate's ability to defend himself*

Perceptor: *talking earnestly about some of the books he's seen in the library that may be of interest to Ironhide, or to Chromia*

Optimus: *quiet chuckle as she hears Ironhide assure Perceptor that he was just resting his optics the other day when Perceptor was reading to him, and that he'd like to hear some of those books that the scientist is talking about* *to Mira* You know him better than I do.

Mira: *chuckle* Yup. And I'm not worried. He can hold his own in a fight.

Optimus: *as she turns toward the stairs to the subbasement* Except against you?

Mira: He knew I'd kick his aft eventually.

Optimus: *holds open the stairway door as she gives Mira a look of surprise* What do you mean?

Mira: He, Lu, and I were Wreckers. We used to wallop each other regularly... and I told him once that if he ever took a hit meant for me, I'd kick his aft.

Lumen: *slips past them going up* Plus she just likes to beat on people.

Mira: *proving his point by aiming a kick at his skid*

Lumen: *razzes her and keeps going* He's askin' about you.

Mira: ... *decides she needs a drink before she talks to her wordmate*

Optimus: *stops as the smaller woman turns back up the stairs* Mira?

Mira: I need a drink.

Optimus: *surprised, but compassionate* Now?

Mira: Why not?

Optimus: *nonplussed as she wonders why* I guess I'll see you later, then.

Mira: Yup. *heads for the cellar*


A few hours later and after this


Mira: *coming stumbling up from the cellar. She talked with her mom earlier, and then proceeded to drink herself stupider. Is almost to the point of needing to hold onto the floor so it doesn't get away*

Ironhide: *blinks as something slams into the cellar door, then opens it and looks to see who's there* Mira? Y'u partyin' alone?

Mira: Mmmyup. *also holding onto the door and nearly tripping over her pedes*

Ironhide: *nonplussed look past her down the stairs* So where's yer feller?

Mira: ... 'Firmary, I think... *parks skid on floor once she's clear of the cellar door*

Vector Prime: *steps through a wall nearby, a preoccupied look on his face*

Ironhide: *bites back a grin as he remembers Mira's usual reaction to such ghostly goings on*

Mira: %*&%$%$#%$#%$#%$#%$#!!!! *on her feet and backpeddalling*

Vector Prime: Ack! *startled eyes flash as he vanishes*

Ironhide: *doubled over and howling with laughter*

Mira: *so many obscenities in EVERY language she knows! Storms off so she can deal with the sudden urge to cry she's just gotten*

Ordnance: *was just stepping out of the kitchen to see who was having fun without him. Gets head-butted on his still tender chest* Owwwww. *bleep*

Mira: *intakes hitch as she feels his arm go around her, and then she's hiding her face against his chest and crying*

Ordnance: Patch? Hey? *incredulous surprise* Oh *blankety blank*, are you crying?

Mira: *is also clinging to you and shaking, Ordnance*

Ordnance: *turns so he's leaning his back against the door frame, and then puts the other arm around his wife too as his eyes brighten with concern and dismay* Hey. C'mon, babe, what's wrong?

Mira: *muffled* [You stupid glitch... I could've taken that hit.]

Ordnance: *arms tighten* *quiet, urgent, anger* *bleep* that!

Mira: *intakes hitch* *hides against him even more* [Would've been better than spending the next one hundred eleven thousand or so vorns after it without you.]

Ordnance: *blinks and frowns* [...I thought you would'a found somebody else.]

Mira: *intakes hitch again as she hiccoughs* [Never was anyone else.]

Ordnance: *quiet, teasing, incredulity* [What? A looker like you?]

Mira: *softly* [Didn't want to look for anyone else.]

Ordnance: *arms go slack in his shock* *dumbly, in English* Oh.

Mira: *doorwings moving rapidly as she clicks and hiccoughs, still clinging desperately to her husband*

Ordnance: *beard trembles slightly with his chin, and then he's putting his head down to try and comfort her by making her too drunk to remember her sorrow*

Mira: *already plastered, will share some of her charge*

Ordnance: *weeeeee! And then meeps and lifts his head as his knees nearly go* Scrap. You really knocked the stuffin' outta me, babe. I gotta go lay down. *blinks down at her, but thinks she's probably too far gone to notice him wink at her or anything of the sort* *or to hit him if she did notice it*

Mira: *soft, pleased engine rumble* *quietly* Gotta berth c'n lay down on. *snuggle*

Ordnance: They said the one they showed me was yours. *has to take an arm away from her to brace himself against the door frame*

Mira: C'n share. 'S big 'nough f'r both'a us.

Ordnance: Yeah... *grumbles and curses quietly as his knees threaten to go again*

Mira: *look of concentration as she fishes around in a compartment for her PINpoint*

Ordnance: *very quietly apologetic* Room's really spinnin'.

Mira: *frustrated sound as she comes up empty handed, will put out a call for help*

Ironhide: *pops out of the library, finger between the pages of a book* What's wrong?

Mira: Room's spinny, 'n can't find my PINpoint... *is trying her best to support Ordnance as well*

Ironhide: *gently grabs her arm and shows her her wrist* 'T's raht there.

Ordnance: *squints at the wrist* Holey radiators, you're scrap faced.

Mira: *blink blink* ...Oh. *will fiddle with the piece of tech, trying to remember which set of coordinates is for her room*

Ironhide: *catches the wrist again, tucking his book under his arm* Where d' y'u wanna go?

Mira: Wanna bring Ordnance 'n me t' my room.

Ordnance: Bed.

Ironhide: *bit of a grin and presses the right things, then hits the green button and quickly steps back*

Ordnance: *arrives upstairs flat of his aft and making the air blue in his shock*

Mira: *snickering and snuggling against him* *will teach him better words, before kissing him again*

Ordnance: *happy rumble, and then lets go of her to crawl up onto the bed and roll onto his back* Wow. My fat *donkey* fits.

Mira: *moving to join you on the bed, Ordnance* Plenty'a room t' snuggle. *nods and moves to get situated against the soldier's side, under his arm*

Ordnance: *looks at her for a moment, and then snerks and tucks his arm under her neck before wriggling onto his side and putting the other arm over her* Yer drunk.

Mira: So? *small smile*

Ordnance: *shaky grin* I like drunk dames.

Mira: *snerk* Takin' 'vantage of me?

Ordnance: *snuzzles her helm* *quiet and gruff* Like you did that night after I got busted in the spark?

Mira: *soft chuckle* 'Cept this time, was me kickin' yer aft, 'n not a 'Con.

Ordnance: *more snuzzle* You do it better. *plays her a bit of 'Hotter Than a Two Dollar Pistol', remembering how she used to punch him in the nose for playing it to her*

Mira: *snerk* Di'n't I stick a shell on yer aft once fer playin' that?

Ordnance: *grins, then takes her hand and puts it on the mark*

Mira: *so much amusement* Ya kept it...

Ordnance: *still grinning* Sh'yeah. You branded me.

Mira: *moving to get her hand back, intending to tangle fingers in his beard* *pauses as her hand comes across a mark she doesn't recognize on his upper arm*

Ordnance: *notices her tracing it and grins even more widely* I got that on the way back.

Mira: *lifts her head to study the mark better* ... This 's me? *brow ridges up and doorwings fluttering slightly*

image: *is clearly Mira. Leaning on a massive cannon, clad in thin decorative armour, and standing on a banner which proclaims her "My Dream"*

Ordnance: *eyes bright as that rogue grin goes shy* Yeah.

Mira: *wibble, grabbabeard, SNOG*

Ordnance: *startled flail and then hugs her close and tries to return the favour* *muffled* Marry me.

Mira: *engine rumbles happily* *leans back long enough to answer* Yes. Now shaddup 'n kiss me.


upstairs


Optimus: *pauses where she was standing on the leads and doing a kata as a flash startles the soft dimness of evening* ...What?

Perceptor: *looks up from organizing some of his experiment supplies* Is something amiss?

Optimus: *shakes her head and lowers the foot that had been held against her other leg* *quietly* Ordnance won't be able to leave Mira behind ever again.

Perceptor: *surprised* They have bonded, then?

Optimus: *nods and turns to go inside, absently putting her swords together and away as she does* I just saw the flash.

Perceptor: We should ensure sufficient fuel is available for them.

Optimus: *soft chuckle as she comes over to look down at his work counter* Showtime, Desinex, and Chromia will take care of them.

Perceptor: *small nod, will return his attention to organizing supplies. Already has most of his sample jars neatly labeled*

Optimus: *watches him, silently giving thanks to God for the peace she can see in his face and eyes as he works*

Perceptor: *is also humming quietly as he works, even though he's not so great at carrying a tune*

Optimus: *watches as the last jar is labelled, and then turns her head to look toward the darkening windows, unaware of how the light over the counter falls across her face*

Perceptor: *stretches and turns to ask if she would be interested in a bit of reading before downtime, is struck silent by how beautiful Optimus looks*

Optimus: *eyes brighten slightly as she watches fireflies dance down by the frog pond. And then she becomes aware of Perceptor's gaze and looks down at him quizzically*

Perceptor: *realizes he was caught openly admiring her, squeak, blush, ducks his head sheepishly*

Optimus: *gently squeezes his shoulder, and then touches his cheek* *softly, trying to redirect his attention so as to save him from embarrassment* Do you want some supper?

Perceptor: *very slight start as he realizes that yes, he has yet again neglected to refuel* *quietly* Ah, yes, please...

Optimus: *quiet chuckle and then a bit of shyness slips past her guard as she offers him her hand* Should we PINpoint?

Perceptor: *small nod as he reaches for the offered hand*

Optimus: *gentle squeeze of his hand and brings him down to the kitchen*


Lumen's room


Lumen: *nexus capable cellphone in one hand as he talks to Sunhalo and uses the other hand to cover a sleepy Song up as she cuddles in his bed* Yup. Looks like she's ready for shutdown. She really must've been studying today. Yeah, no. I'm fine. *gruff chuckle* Mira got Ordnance back today. No scrap. Yeah. They just bonded. I haven't felt this stupid since the team first died. *listens for a moment as he kisses Song on the helm and is sleepily shoved away* Pretty soon. I wanna go downstairs and see if I can actually get a look at the new medic first. No. Yeah. She's slaggin' sneaky. Alright. *more quietly* Love you, 'Halo. G'night. *lifts his voice as he wanders toward the door* Sunstreaker, I see you out there!

Sunstreaker: *growls impolite things under his breath from where he's standing outside Mira's room* *is quite positively fuming that that fat old scrapheap has the audacity to be Mira's bondmate*

Lumen: *gives the golden bot an incredulous look as he quietly closes the door behind him* What's your problem?

Sunstreaker: *quietly* That *bleep*... Who the *bleep* does he think he is, marrying Mira?

Lumen: *slightly zonked expression hardens into a scowl* He was our teammate. And the only guy who ever treated her like what she is.

Sunstreaker: *expression a mix of anger and confusion* What the scrap are you talking about?

Lumen: You know how you take care of Aunt Show? Protect her, guard her more than you even do Swiper?

Sunstreaker: ... Yeah. She's not made to be in the thick of things like we are.

Lumen: Well Mira is. And most guys can't see a woman that is. But that "fat scrapheap" can. *yes, that is a thread of low anger in the usually genial voice*

Sunstreaker: *so much scowl*

Lumen: So he's crude and rude, and he's not pretty. Look at me. Look at Mira. That's what we are.

Sunstreaker: I don't care if you're all older than us. Mira and you are still my kids.

Lumen: *quiet finality* You stopped being my mentor the day you left me behind.

Sunstreaker: ... *jaw working and optics a bit bright now. Your words hurt, Lumen*

Lumen: I'm an old *deleted* of a Wrecker, and Ordnance was the one that was there through the days of hell and the nights of ice when we were fighting where no one else had the ball bearings to go. It was him that kept Mira from wandering off 'n dying when I was too stunned after you left. And it was him that taught her she was beautiful even if she didn't need protecting.

Sunstreaker: *head bowed as he process this, and the conversation with Mira that Showtime had earlier in the day*

Lumen: *turns away toward the stairs* Besides. He's Kup's kid.

Sunstreaker: *head snaps up with shock* Whaaaat?!


downstairs in the dining room


Showtime: *doorwings snap up into a sharp 'V' and she lets out a shocked squeak*

Optimus: *pauses with a piece of toasted blitzbread and grease halfway to Perceptor's distracted mouth to stare at the little blue woman*

Hound: *blink blink*

Sekani: *laughing so much at the funny auntie sound!*

Sideswipe: *knocked out of a black sulk by that jag of surprise* Ugh.

Desinex: ... What the scrap, Show?

Stunner: Bhuh? *headtilty*

Chromia: ... D' Ah wanna know?

Ironhide: *just lifts his brows and crams another torn off hunk of blitzbread into his mouth. Has his book open on the table in front of him*

Perceptor: *paying no attention to the conversation. Ironhide's book is too fascinating!*

Showtime: *looks to Optimus* Ordnance is Kup's son?

Optimus: Oh. *nods and feeds Perceptor* Yes. He is. Though he never really got to meet his father.

Perceptor: *surprised sound as he's fed*

Desinex: *snickerfit*

Stunner: *chirping about the ride and the funny sounds Mama is making*

Showtime: *'wings down* *quietly* Oh...

Optimus: *watches Sekani reach over from Hound's arms to pat Showtime with one tiny, greasy hand* *gently* You know how and when Kup lost contact with his bond mate in your reality.

Hound: *sober nod, and then sees the little hand prints and gets something to wipe them off*

Showtime: *very slight nod*

Optimus: *fixes another bite of toast for Perceptor* *without looking up from the work, though she's aware of Lumen and Sunstreaker coming in* Chip Dancer delivered Ordnance while she was out there alone in the library as it drifted through space.

Showtime: *wibble, intakes hitch*

Sunstreaker: *moves to comfort Showtime*

Optimus: Ordnance and some Cragbusters have a lot in common. Except the criminal record. *pokes next bite of toast at the source of eager book discussion*

Perceptor: *surprised noise at being fed again*

Sunstreaker: *quietly* Kup always said how he'd go out and look for her once he had the chance...

Optimus: *gently* I don't know that part of the story. Did he ever make it?

Desinex: *headshake* *quietly* He died on Earth... Said he was going to meet up with a voice he'd not heard since the last time he'd seen the library.

Optimus: *optics dim slightly* Ah...

Desinex: *still quiet* He told Hot Rod and Springer that the voice was prettier than theirs.

Showtime: *wibbly snerk*

Ironhide: *absently, as he pours over the diagram that Perceptor's telling him about* Dancer allwehs did sound pretty.

Chromia: *raised brow as she tries to remember what Chip Dancer sounded like*

Perceptor: *pointing out that there may be enough supplies left over once the washrack is built in Ironhide and Chromia's quarters to attempt to build the machine in the diagram*

Desinex: And Kup and Ordnance never saw each other while they were both alive.

Optimus: *quietly* Once. In passing. It was during the first exodus from Earth to Dabros.

Desinex: ... Huh.

Optimus: Their eyes met, and they knew. But there was no time to talk. *gently feeds Perceptor another bit of toast*

Showtime: *more wibble, hides face against Sunstreaker*

Sunstreaker: *slight sway as he holds Showtime close, one hand gently rubbing between her doorwings*

Perceptor: *starting to get distracted from the book*

Ironhide: *distracted from Perceptor as he draws on the table cloth. Stinks at diagrams. Stinks badly*

Lumen: *from where he's leaning on the door frame* He didn't let it get him down. And he's had plenty of time to chase 'Cons through the Allspark with the old fart.

Desinex: *soft snerk* Good.

Sunstreaker: *curious, but doesn't ask out loud*

Sideswipe: *looks at his brother* I got a hand in the face a few times. That was Ordnance shoving me outta the way. Kup would just shoulder bust me aside in passing.

Sunstreaker: *soft snort*

Hound: *soft grin as he hugs his wife and bitties* Remember when he did that, Sky?

Desinex: Yeah... Usually did it when he wasn't holding Ridgeback. If he was, he usually left the honors to 'Hide.

Sideswipe: *snigger* 'Hide didn't do it when we were in his way, though. He did it for the noise.

Sunstreaker: *groan* I remember that. Slagger always did it so I couldn't reach the scuffs.

Showtime: *quietly* I used to fix those scuffs, Sunny... But we're talking about Kup now.

Optimus: *watches Chromia smack her husband* Ironhide, I don't want to see you shoulder slamming any of the team into walls.

Ironhide: *blushes* Yesssir, Optimus. *bread and drawing!*

Lumen: *snort*

Perceptor: *confused, looks to Optimus for clarification*

Optimus: *gives the scientist a reassuring look and a cup of energon tea*

Perceptor: *perk, quietly thanks Optimus for the tea*

Optimus: *looks at Sunstreaker's expression, then flicks her optics to Showtime* Is there anything else you want to ask?

Showtime: *small headshake*

Optimus: *slight frown as she sees the look that Lumen gives Sunstreaker* Alright. *offers more toast to Perceptor*

Perceptor: *focused on eating instead of reading now*

Ironhide: *has realized there are things he likes on the table other than the book. Carnage among the fuelstuffs occurring now*

Sunstreaker: Bet Kup'd like this place...

Lumen: *snorts again* Nope.

Sunstreaker: Why not? He'd get to meet more grandkids, and he'd get to bust bad guys again...

Lumen: *look that still contains some of the anger that Sunstreaker stirred up* He wasn't a fighter. He was security. And he was tired.

Sunstreaker: ...Oh. *droop*

Lumen: *stomps in and snags a slab of gummi ham, and then turns and stomps out without any trace of song or joking* And so am I. G'night.

Showtime: *quietly* Goodnight, Lumen.

Hound: *silently watches his heart son go, then looks down at his wife*

Desinex: *leans against husband and contemplates the fuel*

Sunstreaker: *holding Showtime and being quietly contemplative now*

Perceptor: *will shyly attempt to feed Optimus*

Optimus: *distracted from watching Sunstreaker. Gives Perceptor a surprised look and blushes as she takes the bit of toast and thanks him* *then looks around* *quietly* Get some rest, team. We have that mission tomorrow.

Desinex: *nods, will move to bring her family to bed*

Ironhide: Yessir. *crams last bit of good stuff into his mouth, and then grabs his book while reaching for Chromia's hand* Les' go git Kimchee outta her tub before she needs another shot 'a Corrostop.

Chromia: *nods and reaches for Ironhide's hand* Wondah wh't she'll call us t'nahght. *chuckle*

Ironhide: *rumbles laughter as he leads his wife out of the room*

Optimus: *turns to Sunstreaker* *gently* He's carried this a long time. Be patient with him, alright?

Sunstreaker: *small nod*

Showtime: *gently rubbing husband's wrist and quietly suggesting going to bed*

Optimus: *offers Sunstreaker a bottle of sweet oil, since he hasn't taken anything else* Get some defrag.

Sunstreaker: *another small nod as he accepts the offered bottle* *will probably be awake for a while, thinking things over*

Optimus: *watches Showtime lead her husband out of the room with Sideswipe wandering in their wake, then blinks and looks down at Perceptor as he peers intently over Ironhide's drawings* You know, we still haven't met the medic.

((Written with random_xtras))