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Chapter 37: Air Raid and Slingshot V
Title: Complication
Rating: PG
Summary: He'd hoped their problems
were over
He wasn't stupid. Air Raid pulled his
pants up, shakily walking towards the counter; a small, plastic
device carried in one servo. He glanced quickly at his reflection in
the mirror, before turning his optics away, avoiding himself
entirely.
He wasn't stupid.
He'd spent enough time with his
brothers and experienced the same slag as them, that when something
was out of place with himself, it would become noticeable right away.
And Air Raid was uneasy to admit that something felt out of place....
Trying to shake off his feeling of
foreboding, the shih tzu quickly washed his servos; splashing water
on his face and grasping for a towel. His optics fell immediately to
the white counter top, staring at the thin, purple stick lying their
innocently. The small, pocketed red plus sign on its one end was not
so innocent.
He wasn't stupid....
But that didn't make him any luckier
either.
Fuel tans roiling suddenly at the
confirmation, Air Raid leaned against the counter top, servos shaking
against the wood as his processor raced. It felt like he'd stood
there for millenia, but was more than likely only for a couple kliks
-long enough for him to come to a decision. Graduation was just a
couple months away.....
It should be enough time. It would have
to be enough time.
Sighing, Air Raid looked up into the
mirror, surprised to find tears rolling down his cheekplates. “It'll
be alright...,” he smiled to himself. It was almost soothing to see
his reflection trying to comfort him back. “It'll have to be...”
Grabbing the stick, the shih tzu
snapped it in half, shoving the plastic deep into the bottom of the
trash can; making sure it was good and buried from view, before
turning and leaving the bathroom with a grin.
Title: Cake
Rating: PG
Summary: There's a surprise waiting
for him at home
Air Raid shifted
his backpack as he approached his house, noticing that the mailbox at
the front lawn was full; its tag shifted down and a couple envelopes
sticking out from its mouth stubbornly. Curious, the shih tzu altered
his course, stopping in front of the mailbox. He paused to make sure
no one was around to see, before yanking the mail out, thumbing
through it quickly. There were at least three reply letters from
several Academies, two of them large packages.
Spark starting to
sputter quickly, Air Raid stared at the one envelope that carried a
small, city symbol that he was not familiar with. Tucking the others
under his arm, he quickly unzipped his backpack and shoved the one
letter in among his things, hiding it from view before slinging his
bag over his shoulder plating and heading for the house finally.
The youngling
barely was inside for five astroseconds before glittering paper was
exploding in his face, accompanied by loud, cheerful cries of
“SURPRISE!”
“W-what....,”
Air Raid grinned, stepping back, looking from each of his brothers in
a mixture of confusion and joy. “What's all this for, huh?”
“For getting
into the Academy!,” Firefight chirped, bouncing a happily cooing
Breakdown lightly.
“For finishing
highschool, he means,” Silverbolt corrected kindly, taking all the
empty party crackers from everyone's servos. “A graduation is a big
accomplishment, especially when completing secondary. It means you've
gone through one big hurdle in your life and now, you have millions
of doorways open to you.”
“Well, he still
did get a bunch of letters from local academies, saying that he'd
been accepted to all of their programs.”
“That is true,”
Skydive noted from the couch. Surprisingly, he was there, accompanied
by Onslaught and Trailbreaker, who had been visiting more frequently
than many of them would have guessed. Both mechs sat on either side
of the shih tzu, each glancing at him every few kliks, checking to
see that he was alright. Even though he was cupping his swollen
belly, Skydive looked every bit a happy 'bot, and that in itself was
enough to make Air Raid beam as he faced his brother. “You've done
so much, Air Raid, even preserving through.... well.... a fairly
hectic year, but you've grown handsomely then. We're really proud of
you.”
A round of
confirmations came from everyone. Overwhelmed, Air Raid stood there
uncertainly in the doorway, trying to think of a proper response to
give, before his family got tired of his silence and playfully yanked
him into the living room. Fireflight tickled Breakdown momentarily,
before grabbing a quiet Slingshot's wrist and pulling the both of
them out of the room, just as Silverbolt gently urged for the red
youngling to sit on the love seat.
Air Raid was
surprised when his two younger brothers came back into the room,
Slingshot carrying a cake in his servos and Fireflight skipping
excitedly beside him. “We got you a cake!,” the littlest autodog
exclaimed, “'Bolt got all the ingredients and him and Skydive
worked to bake it, and then me and Slings decorated it. It's your
favourite too -chocolate!”
“Thanks guys,”
Air Raid vented softly, servos shaking a little as he reached out for
the cake. He smiled up at Slingshot, giving him a quick wink, hoping
that his younger brother especially knew how much this meant to him.
“You guys really didn't have to do this for me, honest.”
“Nonsense.”
“It was fun!”
“You're our
brother, Air Raid -of course we'd celebrate every one of your
achievements! We love you!”
Touched, the shih
tzu smiled brightly at each of his siblings, trying to ignore the
heat slicking his optics. “And I love you guys too.... Now, if this
is a party, let's P A R T Y!!!”
Title: Blessing
Rating: PG
Summary: He's given an unexpected
gift
“For you,” the serval said.
Air Raid shuttered his optics, staring
in disbelief at the slip of paper in the kittycon's fingers. It
fluttered as Onslaught waved it; silently insisting that the
youngling take it. Not wanting to be rude -or, otherwise, upset the
bigger mech- the shih tzu uncertainly grabbed the cheque, looking at
it again incredulously. He was practically floored when he saw the
sum penned across the amount line.
“I-i... I can't take this!,” he
protested, trying to shove the cheque back at Onslaught. The kittycon
refused to lift his arms or take the slip of paper back; grabbing the
youngling's wrist and gently lowering his arms.
“Keep it,” Onslaught said lowly,
“I'm proud to see you pursuing something so distinct and important
to you. I wish to help you succeed, if at all possible. Without this,
both you and I know college would be out of your budget.... and we
know how much your brothers wish to see you get farther in life than
them.”
At the statement, Air Raid stopped
struggling. He looked, with flared optics, up at the serval; suddenly
realizing how much this mech actually knew about his family.... and
how good he was. “Y-you....”
Onslaught raised an optic ridge at the
chopped reply. “Yes...?”
Air Raid didn't answer back. To both
the kittycon's and his own surprise, he threw himself at the bigger
mech instead; wrapping his arms as far as they would go around the
older mech's wide frame, face pressed into his chestplates. They
stood there for almost a klik; each frozen in their own actions,
before Onslaught uncertainly lifted a servo, patting the youngling on
the back.
“Y-you, um...,” he gruffed
uncomfortably as Air Raid slowly pulled back. “You should g-go back
to the celebrations.... i-it's your g-graduation party, a-after
all....”
Wiping quickly at his face, Air Raid
nodded, slightly embarrassed now at his bold action. He stepped
around the serval to head back to the living room, but paused before
he got very far. “Onslaught...?,” he called softly, turning his
helm to the other mech. Onslaught gave him his full attention
silently. “T....thank you,” the shih tzu smiled shyly, “For
e-everything.”
The serval's ears perked slightly at
the unexpected gratitude, but the kittycon's expression softened
still, a small smile of his own appearing on the old faceplates.
“You're welcome, pup. But let's keep this a secret between the two
of us, alright?,” he asked jokingly.
Air Raid chuckled, nodding, before
strutting merrily for his brothers in the other room.
Title: Insomnia
Rating: PG
Summary: There's no hope for rest
with troubles filling his helm
It was quiet in
the house; dark too. Slingshot lay in his berth, staring across the
room at Air Raid's backstruts, unable to sleep. He knew why he wasn't
able to settle down and recharge like his brother was so capable of
doing, but that didn't make it any less easier on him.
Exams.
It had to be
because of exams and his graduation ceremony coming up and
everything. That's why the older youngling had been ignoring him
recently, keeping their interactions to a bare minimum. It was the
only reason.
...it had to
be.....
Otherwise, what
reasons did Slingshot have to console himself with? If he thought
everything that they had gone through to get to this point now was a
waste, a lie.... It would kill him. Plain and simple. Air Raid was
the one brother he could not afford to lose. Trying to swallow back
the rising clot of fear that was growing in his vocalizer, the
youngling shuttered his optics, forcing himself to vent deeply.
He onlined them
again a klik later to see blue optics glowing back at him from across
the room -Air Raid was awake.
“....hey,” the
older shih tzu whispered softly, a smile growing slowly on his face,
“Couldn't sleep?”
Slingshot didn't
reply.
The blankets
lifted and folded over as Air Raid raised a servo, gesturing for the
grey youngling to come over. He didn't even hesitate before
scrambling out of berth and diving under the other's sheets. A part
of him wanted to shove his brother down into the mattress, kiss him
and get into his pajama pants.... but another side of him was
suddenly too scared to do it. Slingshot felt that if he did any of
that, Air Raid might suddenly break or shatter underneath him. He
didn't know why but.... it was a feeling he couldn't shake, and he'd
do everything to keep this moment going.
Laying down,
Slingshot nuzzled under the older mech's chin for an astrosecond. Air
Raid chuckled softly at the action, wrapping his arm around the
shorter shih tzu's waist, before pulling back, nudging their
olfactory sensors together shortly.
“....sorry I've
been ignoring you the past week,” the red youngling apologized.
Slingshot tried to keep his gaze level with Air Raid, but couldn't
after a klik. Still, the older mech smiled, hugging the other just a
little bit tighter. “Remember when you always got lost....?”
Slingshot
remembered. That was back in the bad orns -before Silverbolt got them
a home of their own. “Yeah....,” he mumbled back, “You always
came and found me again. No matter what.”
“What.....”
Air Raid paused in his whisper. “What if I happened to get
lost....?”
The grey shih tzu
shuttered his optics in confusion, tilting his helm, trying to look
at the other autodog. But he couldn't see Air Raid's face from this
angle, and sleep was finally creeping up on him. “What you talking
about, Ar-Ra,” he mumbled sleepily, frame relaxing on the sheets,
“You never get lost.”
Air Raid looked
down at Slingshot, watching as he drifted off into recharge at last.
His optics dimmed as he saw how the younger shih tzu relaxed
completely -no anger, no confusion, no sign of worry or fear on his
faceplates. Slingshot didn't understand how lucky he really was.....
And he really didn't want to be the one to take that away from
him....
“Sweet dreams,
Slings,” he whispered against the other's helm; pressing a kiss to
his ear, “Always r-remember that I love you....”
“....I'm
sorry....”
Title: Smoke and grease
Rating: PG
Summary: He's at the corner-stop of
his life
'Thank you for your application. We
are honoured to say that you have been accepted and...'
Air Raid lifted his optics from the
paper, already aware of what the rest of the words said. They'd been
words he'd studied for orns before finally sending in his
confirmation. The college had sent back an immediate response,
attached to the tuition fees and the deadline for paying -something
that he would be doing in person.
Folding the slightly crumpled paper up,
the shih tzu tucked the letter into the front pocket of his suitcase,
turning his attention away from the other patrons still taking taking
their seats on the bus and staring out the window to the smoggy
station beyond. Alone with his thoughts now, the doubt started
creeping back in.
You still have time to leave, a
small voice whispered in the back of his helm, Time enough to get
off; take your things back home. No one would ever have to know about
you leaving.
The prospect was tempting. It would
make his brothers happy, he knew, but.... Air Raid slid a servo over
his suitcase, squeezing the handles tightly. No, he told himself, he
had to stay. He didn't have much choice. Still, the ligaments in his
legs tightened, ready to spring him up and carry him in a mad rush to
the door.
An angry hiss cut through the rest of
his thoughts; lifting his helm, the autodog saw the bus doors snap
shut, sealing his fate. Slowly, Air Raid laid back in his seat,
staring at the back of the blue, stained chair in front of him.
This.... this was for the best, he reassured himself.
A small, cynical smile worked its way
to his lip components.
Right... the best....
Title: Room 227
Rating: PG
Summary: Some things we learn at the
wrong time
Silverbolt lept to his pedes the moment
Trailbreaker walked into the waiting room, guiding a sleepy
Fireflight by one servo; Breakdown cradled securely in the other.
“O-oh, th-thank you,” the shih tzu breathed, rushing forward,
picking his younger brother up and giving him a hug. “I d-didn't
k-know who else to call, a-and well....”
“It's okay, Silvy,” Fireflight
yawned, still trying to rub the sleep from his optics. “This is a
good thing, a happy thing. Finally, See-Dee is going to have a
bornling too!” His smile helped to ease Silverbolt's anxiousness a
little.
“Your brother's right, ya know,”
Trailbreaker smiled shyly, nudging Silverbolt with his elbow. The
karelian bent down momentarily to hand the waking Breakdown to his
carrier; both mechs watching as the younger autodog crossed the room
to go sit by a grumpy-looking Slingshot. “By that, I mean,” the
country 'bot continued self-consciously, “Well, ya don't really
need to worry an' all. You're in a hospital, after all. Your
brother's got a whole bunch of medical staff to look after him -he'll
be safe.”
At the look Silverbolt gave him, the
dark autodog trailed off, standing awkwardly; rubbing the back of his
neck. Seeing this, the shih tzu tried to swallow back the rest of his
nagging doubts, taking a small, side-step closer to Trailbreaker. The
karelian jolted a little in surprise, but did not comment, his helm
turned towards the other mech patiently.
“....T-thank you,” Silverbolt said
softly, “All the same. I'm g-grateful that you w-wanted to help.
I... I admit, I'm not.... not r-really able to h-handle all of this
yet. I'm scared.... and uncertain.... and even a little excited....
B-but, I think, I think I c-can manage.”
“S-sorry again for c-calling you so
late a-and m-making you g-get my brothers,” he added, blushing a
bit in embarrassment, “W-with the exception o-of Slingshot, I w-was
too frazzled to grab a-anyone else, a-and I r-really didn't w-want to
p-panic them e-either.”
A dark ear twitched at the last
statement, drawing the shih tzu's attention. Pausing, his good mood
fading again, Silverbolt faced the other mech; his gaze locked with
Trailbreaker's visor. “Trailbreaker.... what....” He paused,
finally looking around, realizing that Air Raid was nowhere in sight.
“....W-where's Air Raid?”
Trailbreaker vented softly, his
shoulders sinking with an unseen weight. “I-i... I'm sorry,
Silverbolt,” he quickly apologized, keeping his vocalizer low, “I
didn't know -I mean, he wasn't there when I went to your place, and
I'd assumed.....”
The multi-coloured mech could only
press a servo to his mouth, taking a stumbling step backwards as he
felt his earlier nausea and fear rise up inside him like a sudden
flame. Collapsing into a chair, Silverbolt tried to fight down his
panic and confusion, glancing frequently at his younger brothers.
Trailbreaker quickly knelt in front of the other autodog, his
uncertain servos taking the shih tzu's servos into his own.
“S-silv.... please.... Don't....
don't worry, ok?,” the karelian tried to soothe, his thumb rubbing
the back of Silverbolt's servo softly. “A-air Raid's a big mech....
I'm sure he's got reasons for not being at home. He wouldn't just
disappear or anything like that. B-besides, you've got to stay
here..... your one brother's going through the biggest m-moment of
his life and the o-other two, they'll n-need you to stay strong for
them a-as well. Let's.... let's wait until t-tomorrow, before we jump
to conclusions and-”
“....Air Raid's gone....?”
The two mechs froze at the low whisper,
helms turning to face Slingshot. The youngling stood not but a foot
away from them, servos balled into fists at his side, shaking, as his
optics narrowed behind his visor. “Where.....,” he bit out
slowly, denta clenched tightly, “I-is Air Raid?”
Silverbolt reached a servo towards his
younger brother. “S-slingshot....”
The grey shih tzu slapped the extending
servo away with a snarl, taking a angry step towards the pair. “Tell
me now!!,” he shouted, causing a few helms to turn in the waiting
room. “W-where is he?! What did you d-do to make him leave!? I
swear i-if you don't tell me right now, I'll-!”
“Onslaught!”
Slingshot cut off the rest of his
threat as Fireflight's exuberant vocalizer cheered behind the trio;
tearing them all away from the chaos they had slowly been spiraling
into. Getting to his pedes quickly at the distraction, Silverbolt
crossed the room to the kittycon, servos clasped worriedly before his
chestplates. “I-is....is everything alright, O-onslaught?,” he
asked, optics flickering across the serval's face. “W-was there a
problem? I-is-”
Onslaught raised a servo, silencing
Silverbolt and his anxious fretting immediately. Slowly, the
weariness on the older mech's face began to fade away; a proud smile
stretching across his lip components, his optics glowing with joy and
love. “Everything's fine.... Skydive would like you all to come in
now, and to meet the twins.”
Silverbolt gasped in surprise and
Fireflight bounced a little in place at the unexpected news. “You
hear that Bedo,” he giggled, looking down at the little bornling
half-awake in his arms, “You've got not one, but two new cousins!
Let's go say hi!”
Onslaught chuckled warmly as well,
resting a large servo on the white shih tzu's shoulders as he turned
them towards Skydive's room. Looking back to make sure they were all
interested in coming, the serval shortly continued back down the
hall, chatting softly with Fireflight, who was rapidly firing away
curious and excited questions.
Trailbreaker hung back for a moment.
His gaze rested on the silent youngling that stood in the middle of
the waiting room still, staring out of the hospital windows into the
dark, glittering night. It seemed to take forever before Slingshot
slowly turned around; his pedes dragging, helm down, his fists now
limp servos at his sides.
Ears lowered sympathetically at the
shih tzu's unknown plight, the karelian turned around, silently
leading the younger autodog from a few metres ahead. He glanced
frequently behind him to make sure Slingshot still followed and was
saddened to see that with each step, the brazen, loud pup seemed to
grow smaller and smaller....
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