Kite Strings: Blaster's Daycare
Title: Blaster's Daycare
Author: Lurkerlynne
Characters: Optronix, Blaster and company, various original characters
Rating: PG
Summary: Optronix's first day in the daycare. Companion piece to Talk the Walk
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.
Blaster could tell Optronix wasn't entirely sure what to make of the other younglings. Currently, there were three of them occupying the large, open room that was the daycare center. Taking Optronix's hand and slowly leading him into the room, he pointed each of the younglings out. "That's Shado, with the dark green paint, and Patchup, the white and green one. Shado, Patchup, this is Optronix.”
"Shado and Patchup, both in their 5th vorn, turned around from where they were watching a vidscreen and waved.
Optronix shyly returned their greetings but stuck close to Blaster. Blaster could feel his apprehension flickering through his energy field.
"And this," Blaster gestured at the approaching youngling, the oldest at 95 vorns, with black paint gleaming in the lights, "is Wildride. He's my helper. 'Ride, this is Optronix."
"Hi," Wildride said.
"Hi." Optronix shyly replied.
"Wanna go play with the legos?" Wildride asked, holding a hand out.
Optronix stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. He took the hand Wildride offered and they walked to the lego station. Settling on the floor, Wildride pulled a building table over and demonstrated how the legos went together. Optronix chirred happily, sorting through the box, pulling out legos and stacking them. Eject wandered over to Blaster and they watched Optronix happily build... whatever it was until the sounds of an argument drew their attention to where Patchup and Shado were quarreling over a ball. Luckily, Wheeljack had arrived at that time, to speak with Blaster about a new entertainment system, and was able to have a talk with his youngling about fighting.
Afterwards, Shado and Patchup were given simple story datapads to read while the two adults discussed Wheeljack's blueprints; 'Jack was pointing out a specific feature when a commotion started by the lego station.
Optronix was wailing loudly, and Wildride was attempting to calm him. Blaster exchanged a concerned look with Wheeljack and walked over. Crouching in front of Optronix, he asked, "What's wrong, Optronix?"
Optronix huddled closer, and Blaster took him into his arms. "Megton here!"
"What happened, Wildride?" Blaster prompted.
The youngling shrugged in confusion. "I dunno. I was just playing with him. Thought he might like the action figures, so I brought them over-" He held up a doll that resembled the Decepticon leader's mech-form, "- and suddenly he was freaking out. I'm sorry..."
Blaster nodded thoughtfully. "It's okay. Thanks, Wildride. I'll take care of Optronix. Why don't you help the others with their reading."
Wildride seemed reluctant to leave the upset sparkling, but Steeljaw encouraged him to join the others in their reading circle.
Looking down at the sparkling in his arms, Blaster said, "Optronix, baby, Megatron's not here."
"Is!" Optronix pressed closer, systems starting to whine softly with his distress.
"No, baby, he's not. I promise." Blaster stroked Optronix's head and back. "It's just a toy. Wildride was playing."
"Megton not play!” Optronix's anguished reply was muffled in Blaster's chestplate.
Blaster tried to look down at him but was unable to; Optronix was too close and Thing's plush fabric bumped his chin. Sighing softly, Blaster shifted to pull Optronix onto his lap. "No, baby, he's not play."
To the Autobot younglings Megatron was something their creators fought, something that sent them home damaged, but none of them had ever met the Decepticon leader. Megatron was a monster they'd never seen and so he was like the human's boogeyman; their children played with dolls of him, defeating their monster through that play.
"Poor kid." Wheeljack murmured, watching them both from where he stood next to Blaster.
A sudden thought occurred to Blaster and he commed Wheeljack. /Is there a Megatron in the toys we gave him?/
A pause, then: /Primus, I hope not. I'll go look./
Blaster watched him go, holding Optronix while his systems stuttered. "Want me to call Starscream?" Primus knew why the kid was so attached to that bootleg but he'd call if he had to. Anything to get the kid's distress under control.
"Stasceam busy." Optronix was still pressed close enough that his voice was muffled but he was calming down, the soft whine of overworked systems tapering off.
"I can still call," Blaster said, not liking the heat coming off Optronix.
"No ine'upt leadih."
"Rodimus won't mind," Blaster told him, looking around for a heat- dispersing blanket.
"No ine'upt leadih!" Optronix was nearly crying again.
"Okay, okay. I'm won't call. Shh." He grabbed a blanket from the pile and settled into a quiet corner, wrapping blanket around the small frame and pulling a corner up over his head. "We'll just sit here 'til he gets back."
/Blaster, the doll's gone/ Wheeljack reported. /Everything else is here but not that. Starscream must've seen it./
/Good./ Blaster started playing a wordless Seibertronian lullaby, settling Optronix into a more comfortable position. /We're idiots for not realizing./
/So Starscream's gonna say. Call him yet?/
/Kid doesn't want me to; 'No interrupt leader', he said. He's terrified of Megatron and probably thinks Prime is just like him./
Wheeljack buzzed in revulsion and signed off. Rodimus was nothing like Megatron, and not a whole lot like Optimus had been either.
Singing softly with the next lullaby, he synced his energy fields as best he could with Optronix's in an attempt to soothe the sparkling. Optronix clicked, pulling the blanket closer, and snuggled further into Blaster's hold. Blaster silently thanked Primus that his systems were beginning to stabilize; if they hadn't, he would have had to call Starscream to deal with the situation.
A cycle passed, Optronix lying quietly in Blaster's arms. At fueling time, he drank his energon curled against Blaster, instead of sitting with the other younglings. The older mech took the cup when Optronix was finished, placing it to the side and getting comfortable again; Optronix didn't seem to want to get up, and Blaster was disinclined to move him.
"What that is?"
"What?" Blaster shook himself out the partial recharge he'd fallen into. He shut off the lullabies he was still playing and revved his systems to wake himself up faster.
"That." Optronix pointed at the group that had been reading and were now finger-painting. "What is?"
"They're finger-painting. Wanna join em?" Optronix thought for a minute.
"Uh-huh," he said, and slithered off Blaster's lap, dragging Thing behind him by one ear. Blaster levered himself to his feet using the wall for balance and followed. Optronix crouched next to the large paper all the other kids were decorating, trilling curiously.
Blaster tugged at Thing, "Gonna want to put this someplace else, baby."
Optronix looked at Thing, then Blaster. "Baby?" His optics flickered in question.
Blaster grinned. "'Nother name for a sparkling."
"Oh, kay." Optronix looked a little puzzled. "Why put Thing away?"
"Don't wanna get him dirty, do you?"
"No," Optronix agreed, then frowned. "Wash off?"
"Washes off people just fine," Blaster reassured him.
"Kay." Thing was handed to him and placed on a nearby chair. Optronix watched the other kids for a bit then cautiously dipped a finger into a pot. He looked at the result before sticking it in his mouth, immediately pulling it out with a grimace and disgusted noise. Stuff tasted foul, to discourage ingestion, but was safe.
"Like this." Shado gathered some paint and drew a face on the paper. Optronix hummed in interest, putting his own fingers on the paper, smearing a lopsided blob. He giggled, gathering more paint and making the blob bigger.
Wildride leaned over to dab another color, turning the blob into a face with a mustache and donkey ears. Optronix giggled, making another blob for Wildride to decorate. Patchup beat him to it, adding her own paint to make an animal with spots.
Blaster left them to their painting, going to the refueling station for some energon of his own. Sipping at the cube, Blaster watched the kids decorate the paper, musing on the resilience of children.
ooOO0OOoo
Starscream returned, Jazz escorting him, during the evening fueling. He raised an optic ridge at the state Optronix was in. The sparkling was decorated with handprints, stripes, and his miniature antennae were a vibrant green.
Optronix squeaked in delight when he saw Starscream, dropping his cup to run to him. "You back!"
"I said I would be." Starscream looked down at the sparkling wrapped around his leg. "What in Primus' name happened to you?"
"Fing' paint!" Optronix exclaimed, standing on Starscream's pede. "Fun! Did picteih."
"Did you?" Starscream sounded amused, and not entirely certain he wanted the paint-smeared Optronix touching him.
"Want see?" Optronix looked at him earnestly, bouncing on his pedes.
"Only if you've finished your energon, first."
"Finished 'gon! Picteih ov' thae." Optronix pointed to the far wall, which was nearly covered in the younglings' artwork. He giggled when Starscream stepped over to the wall, Optronix still clinging to his leg.
Starscream crouched down to Optronix's level, listening as Optronix pointed at his picture and excitedly told him about it. The other two younglings joined them, pointing out their own pictures. Starscream arched an optic ridge in surprise but listened, quietly praising their efforts.
"C'mon, help clean up before you leave," Blaster said after a few moments, and shooed Optronix towards the pile of empty energon cups. "Same with you two; your parents are going to be here in a few minutes."
"Kay." Optronix trotted off, following Shado and Patchup.
Blaster braced himself, before turning to Starscream. Voice lowered, he said, "Had a little problem today. Thought you should know about it."
"Oh?"
"Optronix had a panic attack; thought Megatron was here-"
"What?!" Starscream crowded him, and Jazz was immediately at his side. "Why would he th-" Starscream cut himself off. Head lowering and wings flaring as rage radiated off him, he guessed correctly, "You did not remove the doll."
"No." Blaster fought for his calm, reminding himself that the Seeker was unarmed, that Jazz was right next to him and his Cassettes were a few feet away. "Or warn the children not to mention him."
When Starscream didn't launch into a tirade, or try to remove limbs, Blaster continued.
"I sat with him for a while until he calmed down, and he seemed all right after that. Spent most of the afternoon finger-painting. It was an oversight and I'm sorry."
"Hn." Starscream stared at him, optics narrowed and darkly flickering, for a few moments until his wings flicked. "Be certain it doesn't happen again."
Optronix made his way back to them. He leaned against Starscream, optics flickering sleepily. "We go now?"
"Yes. We need to get you cleaned up before recharge." Starscream sent Blaster one last look before gently picking Optronix up and swinging him onto his back. Starscream plucked Thing off his chair, handing him back to Optronix. "Here."
"Bye, 'tronix!" Shado called.
"Bye!" Patchup echoed, waving. Optronix waved back from his position on Starscream's back.
"Good evening." Starscream nodded to the younglings, narrowing his optics at Blaster, before following Jazz out the door.
Blaster watched them go, musing that Optronix wasn't the only one who needed a bath; the kid apparently wasn't as dry as he'd thought and Starscream had handprints and marks all over the leg Optronix had clung to.
Author: Lurkerlynne
Characters: Optronix, Blaster and company, various original characters
Rating: PG
Summary: Optronix's first day in the daycare. Companion piece to Talk the Walk
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.
Blaster could tell Optronix wasn't entirely sure what to make of the other younglings. Currently, there were three of them occupying the large, open room that was the daycare center. Taking Optronix's hand and slowly leading him into the room, he pointed each of the younglings out. "That's Shado, with the dark green paint, and Patchup, the white and green one. Shado, Patchup, this is Optronix.”
"Shado and Patchup, both in their 5th vorn, turned around from where they were watching a vidscreen and waved.
Optronix shyly returned their greetings but stuck close to Blaster. Blaster could feel his apprehension flickering through his energy field.
"And this," Blaster gestured at the approaching youngling, the oldest at 95 vorns, with black paint gleaming in the lights, "is Wildride. He's my helper. 'Ride, this is Optronix."
"Hi," Wildride said.
"Hi." Optronix shyly replied.
"Wanna go play with the legos?" Wildride asked, holding a hand out.
Optronix stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. He took the hand Wildride offered and they walked to the lego station. Settling on the floor, Wildride pulled a building table over and demonstrated how the legos went together. Optronix chirred happily, sorting through the box, pulling out legos and stacking them. Eject wandered over to Blaster and they watched Optronix happily build... whatever it was until the sounds of an argument drew their attention to where Patchup and Shado were quarreling over a ball. Luckily, Wheeljack had arrived at that time, to speak with Blaster about a new entertainment system, and was able to have a talk with his youngling about fighting.
Afterwards, Shado and Patchup were given simple story datapads to read while the two adults discussed Wheeljack's blueprints; 'Jack was pointing out a specific feature when a commotion started by the lego station.
Optronix was wailing loudly, and Wildride was attempting to calm him. Blaster exchanged a concerned look with Wheeljack and walked over. Crouching in front of Optronix, he asked, "What's wrong, Optronix?"
Optronix huddled closer, and Blaster took him into his arms. "Megton here!"
"What happened, Wildride?" Blaster prompted.
The youngling shrugged in confusion. "I dunno. I was just playing with him. Thought he might like the action figures, so I brought them over-" He held up a doll that resembled the Decepticon leader's mech-form, "- and suddenly he was freaking out. I'm sorry..."
Blaster nodded thoughtfully. "It's okay. Thanks, Wildride. I'll take care of Optronix. Why don't you help the others with their reading."
Wildride seemed reluctant to leave the upset sparkling, but Steeljaw encouraged him to join the others in their reading circle.
Looking down at the sparkling in his arms, Blaster said, "Optronix, baby, Megatron's not here."
"Is!" Optronix pressed closer, systems starting to whine softly with his distress.
"No, baby, he's not. I promise." Blaster stroked Optronix's head and back. "It's just a toy. Wildride was playing."
"Megton not play!” Optronix's anguished reply was muffled in Blaster's chestplate.
Blaster tried to look down at him but was unable to; Optronix was too close and Thing's plush fabric bumped his chin. Sighing softly, Blaster shifted to pull Optronix onto his lap. "No, baby, he's not play."
To the Autobot younglings Megatron was something their creators fought, something that sent them home damaged, but none of them had ever met the Decepticon leader. Megatron was a monster they'd never seen and so he was like the human's boogeyman; their children played with dolls of him, defeating their monster through that play.
"Poor kid." Wheeljack murmured, watching them both from where he stood next to Blaster.
A sudden thought occurred to Blaster and he commed Wheeljack. /Is there a Megatron in the toys we gave him?/
A pause, then: /Primus, I hope not. I'll go look./
Blaster watched him go, holding Optronix while his systems stuttered. "Want me to call Starscream?" Primus knew why the kid was so attached to that bootleg but he'd call if he had to. Anything to get the kid's distress under control.
"Stasceam busy." Optronix was still pressed close enough that his voice was muffled but he was calming down, the soft whine of overworked systems tapering off.
"I can still call," Blaster said, not liking the heat coming off Optronix.
"No ine'upt leadih."
"Rodimus won't mind," Blaster told him, looking around for a heat- dispersing blanket.
"No ine'upt leadih!" Optronix was nearly crying again.
"Okay, okay. I'm won't call. Shh." He grabbed a blanket from the pile and settled into a quiet corner, wrapping blanket around the small frame and pulling a corner up over his head. "We'll just sit here 'til he gets back."
/Blaster, the doll's gone/ Wheeljack reported. /Everything else is here but not that. Starscream must've seen it./
/Good./ Blaster started playing a wordless Seibertronian lullaby, settling Optronix into a more comfortable position. /We're idiots for not realizing./
/So Starscream's gonna say. Call him yet?/
/Kid doesn't want me to; 'No interrupt leader', he said. He's terrified of Megatron and probably thinks Prime is just like him./
Wheeljack buzzed in revulsion and signed off. Rodimus was nothing like Megatron, and not a whole lot like Optimus had been either.
Singing softly with the next lullaby, he synced his energy fields as best he could with Optronix's in an attempt to soothe the sparkling. Optronix clicked, pulling the blanket closer, and snuggled further into Blaster's hold. Blaster silently thanked Primus that his systems were beginning to stabilize; if they hadn't, he would have had to call Starscream to deal with the situation.
A cycle passed, Optronix lying quietly in Blaster's arms. At fueling time, he drank his energon curled against Blaster, instead of sitting with the other younglings. The older mech took the cup when Optronix was finished, placing it to the side and getting comfortable again; Optronix didn't seem to want to get up, and Blaster was disinclined to move him.
"What that is?"
"What?" Blaster shook himself out the partial recharge he'd fallen into. He shut off the lullabies he was still playing and revved his systems to wake himself up faster.
"That." Optronix pointed at the group that had been reading and were now finger-painting. "What is?"
"They're finger-painting. Wanna join em?" Optronix thought for a minute.
"Uh-huh," he said, and slithered off Blaster's lap, dragging Thing behind him by one ear. Blaster levered himself to his feet using the wall for balance and followed. Optronix crouched next to the large paper all the other kids were decorating, trilling curiously.
Blaster tugged at Thing, "Gonna want to put this someplace else, baby."
Optronix looked at Thing, then Blaster. "Baby?" His optics flickered in question.
Blaster grinned. "'Nother name for a sparkling."
"Oh, kay." Optronix looked a little puzzled. "Why put Thing away?"
"Don't wanna get him dirty, do you?"
"No," Optronix agreed, then frowned. "Wash off?"
"Washes off people just fine," Blaster reassured him.
"Kay." Thing was handed to him and placed on a nearby chair. Optronix watched the other kids for a bit then cautiously dipped a finger into a pot. He looked at the result before sticking it in his mouth, immediately pulling it out with a grimace and disgusted noise. Stuff tasted foul, to discourage ingestion, but was safe.
"Like this." Shado gathered some paint and drew a face on the paper. Optronix hummed in interest, putting his own fingers on the paper, smearing a lopsided blob. He giggled, gathering more paint and making the blob bigger.
Wildride leaned over to dab another color, turning the blob into a face with a mustache and donkey ears. Optronix giggled, making another blob for Wildride to decorate. Patchup beat him to it, adding her own paint to make an animal with spots.
Blaster left them to their painting, going to the refueling station for some energon of his own. Sipping at the cube, Blaster watched the kids decorate the paper, musing on the resilience of children.
ooOO0OOoo
Starscream returned, Jazz escorting him, during the evening fueling. He raised an optic ridge at the state Optronix was in. The sparkling was decorated with handprints, stripes, and his miniature antennae were a vibrant green.
Optronix squeaked in delight when he saw Starscream, dropping his cup to run to him. "You back!"
"I said I would be." Starscream looked down at the sparkling wrapped around his leg. "What in Primus' name happened to you?"
"Fing' paint!" Optronix exclaimed, standing on Starscream's pede. "Fun! Did picteih."
"Did you?" Starscream sounded amused, and not entirely certain he wanted the paint-smeared Optronix touching him.
"Want see?" Optronix looked at him earnestly, bouncing on his pedes.
"Only if you've finished your energon, first."
"Finished 'gon! Picteih ov' thae." Optronix pointed to the far wall, which was nearly covered in the younglings' artwork. He giggled when Starscream stepped over to the wall, Optronix still clinging to his leg.
Starscream crouched down to Optronix's level, listening as Optronix pointed at his picture and excitedly told him about it. The other two younglings joined them, pointing out their own pictures. Starscream arched an optic ridge in surprise but listened, quietly praising their efforts.
"C'mon, help clean up before you leave," Blaster said after a few moments, and shooed Optronix towards the pile of empty energon cups. "Same with you two; your parents are going to be here in a few minutes."
"Kay." Optronix trotted off, following Shado and Patchup.
Blaster braced himself, before turning to Starscream. Voice lowered, he said, "Had a little problem today. Thought you should know about it."
"Oh?"
"Optronix had a panic attack; thought Megatron was here-"
"What?!" Starscream crowded him, and Jazz was immediately at his side. "Why would he th-" Starscream cut himself off. Head lowering and wings flaring as rage radiated off him, he guessed correctly, "You did not remove the doll."
"No." Blaster fought for his calm, reminding himself that the Seeker was unarmed, that Jazz was right next to him and his Cassettes were a few feet away. "Or warn the children not to mention him."
When Starscream didn't launch into a tirade, or try to remove limbs, Blaster continued.
"I sat with him for a while until he calmed down, and he seemed all right after that. Spent most of the afternoon finger-painting. It was an oversight and I'm sorry."
"Hn." Starscream stared at him, optics narrowed and darkly flickering, for a few moments until his wings flicked. "Be certain it doesn't happen again."
Optronix made his way back to them. He leaned against Starscream, optics flickering sleepily. "We go now?"
"Yes. We need to get you cleaned up before recharge." Starscream sent Blaster one last look before gently picking Optronix up and swinging him onto his back. Starscream plucked Thing off his chair, handing him back to Optronix. "Here."
"Bye, 'tronix!" Shado called.
"Bye!" Patchup echoed, waving. Optronix waved back from his position on Starscream's back.
"Good evening." Starscream nodded to the younglings, narrowing his optics at Blaster, before following Jazz out the door.
Blaster watched them go, musing that Optronix wasn't the only one who needed a bath; the kid apparently wasn't as dry as he'd thought and Starscream had handprints and marks all over the leg Optronix had clung to.