First Steps
Written especially for tirya56's birthday, just a little fluffy oneshot that's g-rated and mostly cuddle-inducing. Baby!Steeljaw, what more can I say?
First Steps
“Steeljaw, can you hear me?”
… Steeljaw… designation. Form: Primitive, lion, organic-based. Alt-form: Cassette. Function: Tracker, Communications. Location: planet Earth, continental North America, Autobot base - the Ark. Alliance: Autobot.
Information flooded the newly online Cassettebot’s processor, even as systems and senses powered up to full capacity and his optics came online with a light blue glow. The first thing they focused on was a face - no, two faces. Sight, scent and sound recognition kicked in. Rewind: brother; Blaster - guardian.
“Steeljaw?” the voice came from neither of these two.
Then they moved away and were replaced by a third - the owner of the gentle voice he kept hearing.
“Give him some room guys, he’s just come online and it’s probably a little overwhelming for him…. Steeljaw? How are you feeling? I’m First Aid.”
First Aid… function: medic - Protectobot sub-division. Faction-mate, ally, friend. Pacifist, not inclined to violence or aggression.
“Feel… strange. Everything… new,” he replied at last.
“Yes, I know. It’ll feel that way for a day or so till all your programming stabilizes. Can you run a diagnostic of your body and tell me if everything is green?”
Steeljaw was about to answer that he didn’t know how to do that, when suddenly his body just did it. Unconsciously, his processor ran checks of all his systems and gave him green lights as each one completed.
“I… all green,” he said after about five minutes passed.
“Good. Your diagnostic checks will get faster the more you use your body, don’t worry.”
“Okay.”
The lion was still trying to cope with and sort out the endless stream of information coming from his senses, particularly his nose. The scents were so sharp he could practically paint pictures in his head with them.
“Hey, don’t be afraid, little one. No one’s going to hurt you.” A gentle hand caressed his head and scratched behind his ears - a gesture he found he liked very much. “We’re all your friends here, and your family.”
Steeljaw barely heard him; the soft skritching behind his ears was threatening to send him back into recharge and he wasn’t too inclined to fight it off. It was safe in recharge; no overwhelming smells and strange mechs looking at him. He could still sense a lot of optics on him, watching him, and it made him more than a little uncomfortable - family or not. A soft growl escaped his vocalizer and the skritching stopped.
As if sensing the tension, First Aid looked at the all the other assembled mechs, some of whom were simply there out of curiosity to see the latest addition to Blaster’s little clan, and cleared his vocalizer.
“I think it maybe best if you all left now,” he said. “I know you’re all eager to meet him, but he’s just come online and he’s a little nervous and scared. This is all a bit much to take in at one time, and I’ll have a better chance of getting him to cooperate with me if he wasn’t so tense.”
That snapped Blaster into action, and the Communications agent started to shoo everyone out of the medbay, including Ratchet and Wheeljack. “A’ight folks, you heard the doc, let’s give ‘em some space. Y’all will have plenty o’ time to meet the li’l guy later.”
Steeljaw angled his head where he was lying to look at the departing mechs. “So many of them.”
“Hmm?” First Aid looked down at him. “Oh, well yes, I suppose our numbers have grown, but you’ll get used to it.” He petted the feline’s shoulder. “Now, I know you’d like nothing more than to go back into recharge, but I need to see if everything’s working okay before I let you.”
“Okay. What should I do?”
“Well, I need you to stand for a start. Can you do that?” First Aid gave the lion a reassuring pat on the head.
Steeljaw raised his head and flicked his ears a bit before moving his legs and trying to get his paws under him. He winced. “Hurts.”
The medic nodded. “I know. You’re moving for the first time, and it’s going to feel a little stiff, but it will get better, I promise.” All the same he stepped closer and wrapped an arm loosely around the little cassette’s back to support him incase he fell over.
“Is he alright?” Both mech and cat looked around to see Blaster standing and watching anxiously from the door. “There’s nothing wrong with him, is there?”
First Aid smiled. “Well I hope not. Just a bit of newly-onlined stiffness that’s hurting him.” He turned back to Steeljaw. “Come on, little one, you can do it.”
Steeljaw looked at them both, saw the anxious expressions on their faces and felt a flood of feelings go through him - the main one of which told him that he didn’t want to disappoint or worry them any further… but it just hurt to move his legs.
“I’m trying.”
“I know you are, and I know it hurts, but you’re being very brave and I know you’ll be on your feet soon,” First Aid spoke kindly.
Blaster took a few cautious steps over, moving slowly and quietly so as not to scare his youngest charge. “C’mon, kitten, y’gotta move. Get up now, y’got two brothers waitin’ t’meet ya.”
The young lion looked at them both again, and willed the hydraulics in his legs to push him up. Then with a growl and a surge of energy he lunged up to his feet, staggered and nearly fell over, only to be caught and braced by First Aid’s arm.
“Easy, little, easy. Are you alright?” he asked.
“I… think so.”
“Think you can stand on your own now?”
The cat nodded, and First Aid slowly removed his arm, watching him carefully for anything amiss. The young lion’s legs wobbled a little, but he planted his feet and stood firm before raising his head and looking at them with wide blue optics, searching for approval. Blaster and First Aid just about melted.
“Heh, well done, kitten,” Blaster said, coming up to the far end of the table he was on.
“Indeed, good job, Steeljaw,” First Aid agreed and rubbed the cat’s head, earning himself what sounded uncannily like a purr.
Blaster grinned widely. “He purrs!”
First Aid smiled back. “Seems so…. Alright Steeljaw, now I need to see if you can walk. Can you do that for me?”
“Will it be far?” The feline looked worried.
“Not at all, just across this table over to Blaster there, and then back to me. Then you need to get more rest.”
“C’mon kit,” Blaster encouraged. “Show me what ya got.”
Steeljaw stood where he was and studied Blaster’s face for a moment, then looked back at First Aid, running through some information in his head. There was a parallel in the human world that was remarkably similar to this - two mature caregivers encouraging a young creation to walk and play. It made him feel warm and accepted, and loved… and he found that he liked the feeling.
In a purely instinctive move, he reared up on his hind legs and pressed a nuzzle against First Aid’s neck, before dropping back down to the table and starting to walk across its length. The medic blinked in surprise and delight behind his mask, while Blaster stood waiting for the young lion with open hands.
“I think he likes you, Aid,” he chuckled.
“Oh, hehe… well I appreciate the sentiment,” First Aid replied as he watched the little Primitive. “You’re doing very well Steeljaw, practically a clean bill of health.”
The lion reached Blaster and tentatively placed a small paw on the mech’s large hand. “It’s a lot bigger.”
Blaster picked him up and cuddled him, unable to stop himself. “That’s ‘cause I’m a lot bigger, but it’s okay. I like you like this. Think of all the cool places you’ll be able to sneak into.” He scratched gently under the cat’s chin.
“As long as he comes back in one piece.” First Aid smiled at the two bonding. “As sweet as this moment is however, I need you to send him back to me. It’s time he got more recharge to let his systems run checks and power down.”
“Well, you heard the doc.” Blaster set the young lion down on the table again. “Go on back, I’ll pop in again tomorrow and bring your brothers along. You’re gonna love playin’ with ‘em.”
Steeljaw’s optics glowed a happy blue as he nuzzled Blaster’s hand. “Please come back, this was fun.” Then he turned and walked back to where First Aid was waiting for him.
“It’s a promise. Sweet dreams, kitten.” Blaster waved and headed back out.
The medic picked up Steeljaw and carried him over to a smaller, warmer, padded table where he laid him down and attached a couple of wires to him - to monitor his vital systems as he slept and to make sure everything was in top working order for the days and weeks to come.
The lion looked at him curiously. “Are you going to leave me alone in here?”
First Aid tilted, then shook his head. “No, I’ll be in this room, too. Sleep, little one, you’re safe here.” He stroked and rubbed the feline’s ears gently and smiled to himself when the lion’s optics dimmed.
“Okay,” Steeljaw replied. “Good night, Aid.”
“Good night, Steeljaw. Have pleasant dreams. You have a whole life ahead of you to fulfil them.”
~END.
Enjoy!