Chapter Text
For Cultural and Scientific Understandings
Chapter 1 Commencement
(Day 10)
Okay, okay. You had to keep your cool. There was no way that you could be so uptight and nervous. There was no reason to feel this way. Getting overwhelmed and overcome was totally unfounded and unnecessary. It was irrational, even silly.
Or was it?
"Hon, calm down!"
You wanted to whip around and tell Kelsey to inhale an entire brick but you kept your mouth shut. You had to keep yourself in check but holy God, you were nervous.
"You look like you're gonna pass out!" she said, rubbing your shoulder.
"Gee, how could you tell?" you bemoaned.
"Because you're pacing and you keep looking at yourself in the mirror."
"Kelsey, look. This isn't the average outing, you know. Can you blame me? I'm literally dating an alien!"
"That's bonus points if you ask me, my dear."
You gawked at her.
"Then why didn't you ever try to hook up with him?" you pondered. "You've both got similar interests and it's clear that the both of you care for each other. Nothing ever sprung up according to your claims!"
"And that's the truth," your friend maintained. "I care for him deeply and I love him dearly but not in a romantic way. He's a friend. Just look at how you and Tommy were in high school. You were friends back then."
"I know, I know. But…" You floundered, trying to justify and explain things all in one go. That was pretty much impossible. "You two seem like a better pairing instead of him and I."
"At first glance, yeah, maybe." She nodded, understanding your assumption. "But nah. He told me right to my face a few times that he'd hate to be my boyfriend."
"Yikes… Why?"
"Because I'm a bit too reckless. And he's said I can be irresponsible." She smirked. "He's right. Yeah, we're similar in some ways but there are some other areas where we clash a lot. I know he's right and I'm fine with it. That's okay because I'm not changing for him."
None of this made any sense at all. Yes, she had her quirks and her drawbacks. Kelsey was a pistol in high school and you had to bail her out of a lot of messy situations, more than you'd ever care to admit. You chided and lectured her about said incidents and a lot of times, you felt like you were a mother to her.
Then again, she never really had one. Her father never remarried after her mother's death just a week after she was born.
"I fully endorse and support your budding romance," Kelsey beamed. "My witchcraft worked."
"It wasn't sorcery, it was just me being a dense and blind idiot," you corrected her.
"Dear, I orchestrated this because the both of you sorely needed this. Also, believe it or not, I wouldn't pick any other woman to hook up with him."
"Stop pulling my leg." You sighed and anxiously looked at yourself in the mirror. "You're just saying that to bolster my spirits."
"Oh, no, I'm dead serious, dear. Knock Out, he…" She paused, trying to find the right words. "He needs the right person."
"And you think I'm the right one?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Where'd you get that idea?"
"You'll see what I mean as time goes on, okay? You gotta trust me. All I can say is this, dear. Knock Out is a lot more sensitive and intricate than you think he is."
You supposed there was some credibility to that claim. It was clear to you that during that confrontation, he was rather conflicted and had a hard time expressing himself. It seemed like he didn't want to show any particular vulnerability. Perhaps he feared being hurt and rejected?
That further proved just how strangely human he was. It was something that had helped you connect with him and decide to give him a chance.
"You're both good for each other, I'm convinced of it," she smiled. "Trust me, okay? I know you're still a bit salty and bitter with what happened earlier."
"Listen, I don't even wanna talk about it," you waved a hand. "It's a bad memory. Let's move on."
"Fine. But just relax, okay? I promise you, it'll be nice time."
"Are you sure you don't wanna join us? We're gonna be gone the whole night. I feel bad because I came here to visit you, not run off with your other friend."
"I want the both of you to bond and get comfortable with each other. Go out and have fun with him. Don’t you worry about little old me."
Admittedly, you did feel a little nervous but you assured yourself it would be fine. Kelsey promised that she had connections to utilize just in case if something did go wrong. But she swore up and down that everything would be alright. Not only that, she claimed that he was actually as equally nervous as you were. Now that the both of you were in the dating game and things picked up faster than what he was prepared for, Kelsey claimed he was a bit fretful over it too. And that was bizarre in of itself because he was such a suave, smooth operator in the very beginning.
If anything, it was actually somewhat hilarious and disarming.
"You got all your gear and comfy clothes?" she asked.
You gestured to the duffle bag, cooler and the oblong carrying case sitting on your bed. They’d be indispensable to your outing on this night.
"Yeah, I should be ready," you nodded. "Now I just gotta wait for Romeo to show up."
"Your choice of a date was interesting and adorable," the racer grinned. "Didn't expect you to want to spend the night with the hot rod so soon already." She snickered.
You blanked out, disbelieving what was coming out of her mouth. Your jaw dropped and you gaped at her for a few seconds, stunned into scandalized and stunned silence. The warmth in your cheeks was unbearable and you wanted to bury your face into a pillow and scream.
"Oh my God, you evil woman!" you squealed. "Shut up!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she teased.
"Oh, yes, you do! Can it! We can't even…" You groaned in shame. "Just look at us! He's like four times my height and weighs a shit ton more than I do! It's impossible! I'll die! Besides, who knows if he even has the proper…gonads!"
"Well…"
The fact that she said that single word implied way more than what you wanted to even dream about. She knew something. Did they actually really have…particular organs?
"No, shut your whore mouth,” you snipped. “Do not speak."
"Hey, you were the one who brought it up, sweetie,” she cackled.
"I didn't!"
Your argument was interrupted when you heard a car honking in her driveway. The color in your face lost a few shades and your blood ran cold. Yeah, you were waiting but this was at the worst possible time.
"Speak of the Devil," Kelsey smugly hummed. "Go get him, mama."
"Fuck you," you muttered, feeling completely humiliated.
"I love you too!"
You ignored her and hastily gathered up the carrying case, cooler and the duffel bag that contained the extra pair of clothes. All that mattered now was getting away from your friend before she could fluster you further. Oh, she was much too good at that. That was one of her many talents.
Wordlessly, she opened up the front door and held it open for you while your arms were occupied. You grumbled a "thank you" to her and then stepped outside, making your way over to your ride who also just so happened to be your date.
There was still plenty of daylight left which was fine by you. You needed some if you were going to successfully set everything up before it got too dark.
You saw a flash of red hair pop up from the side of the driver's side door as it opened up. The trunk swung open as well and the holoform walked over to your side, donning a smile. There was a noticeable pep or strut in his step.
"Hop in," he said, "let me take care of your bags."
You couldn't even really speak. Your face still burned like a flame and you handed them to him, giving him a sheepish look. As soon as you did that, you hurriedly piled yourself into the passenger seat.
Okay, you couldn't even really talk to yourself to give yourself a little pep talk. He'd hear. You were sitting inside him after all. Frankly, you weren't keen on him really picking up on how you were feeling.
You weren't able to give yourself enough time to collect yourself when his holoform hopped back into the driver's seat. He still smiled as he turned to you.
"Thanks," you managed to croak out. "You didn't have to."
"No," he said, "but I wanted to."
The sentient vehicle pulled out of Kelsey's driveway. He honked at her while she waved goodbye, seeing the both of you off. Once on the main road, he made his way towards the planned destination.
"You alright there?" he asked, raising a brow.
Of course. Of course he had to pick it out. You probably looked like an idiot.
"Take a wild guess," you huffed.
"Kelsey," he guessed.
"Yes."
"Eh, should've known."
"And I'll say no more."
"She means well, she's just playful and annoyingly endearing at times."
"I know… Hey, Knock Out?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you sure you wanna go forward with this plan?"
"Like I said before, darling, as long as I get to spend some time with you, I don't care. And a night with you sounds great. I'm not too much of a nature or wildlife person but I can give it a shot."
"Well, I thought this might be a nice medium so you don't have to use your holoform. I'd prefer you to be as you are. You have to be more comfortable in your real form. It's more interactive and, uh…intimate?"
The ex-Decepticon laughed softly. Truthfully, he was tickled and touched by your consideration. In the beginning, he wasn't sure with your suggestion and was a bit reluctant at first but as he mulled it over more, the more he liked it. There'd be no need to use his disguise unless necessary. There'd be plenty of privacy and less of a chance of distractions or interlopers.
He ended up happily agreeing to it. For the chance of having this courting be successful, he'd take the step.
"You are such a sweet femme," he said. "Really, you are and I love that about you. Yes, I still wish to do this. It'll be interesting. Who knows, maybe I'll want to do it again."
"Don't you worry for a minute, you'll have fun," you promised.
"A part of me feels bad we're leaving Kelsey behind but she'll be staying with her father tonight. I'm happy that's the case. I don't want her to be alone especially with that creep trying to get a hold her."
You understood his concerns, in fact you were in the same boat. Thank God that Conrad didn't have your cell phone number or you were certain you'd receive a slew of calls and texts from him. Since Kelsey cut off communication with him, things were quiet but you were still somewhat on edge. At least she was going to be with her father for the day and she wouldn't be alone at her place. The thought of Conrad showing up while on her own made you sick to your stomach…
"She'll be fine," he resumed. "Her dad won't let any harm come to her. Conrad knows he's in hot water so if he's got an ounce of intelligence, he'll back off and mind his own business."
You nodded in agreement. Hopefully sobriety and time would help him realize it was a dumb move and he'd fade into the background and stay there.
"If it offers you any consolation," you said, "I won't say a word of this to anyone. I won't tell anyone who or what you really are. I promise."
"Much appreciated," he replied. "Many wouldn't likely believe you even if you had loose lips but trust is hard to come by. But I get the impression you are reliable and trustworthy. Kelsey assured that you were before you showed up here but you have to understand that honesty isn't something I'm not quite used to yet." He paused, his holoform smirking. "Besides, isn't the secret to a healthy relationship supposed to be trust?"
"That's what they say."
”Say, how’s your foot feeling?”
Instinctively, you glanced down at your foot. You had forgone sandals for this venture, choosing some tennis shoes to keep your foot comfortable and concealed. You removed the older bandages and replaced them with fresher ones last night. It was definitely healing but there was still a little bit of sensitivity. But it wasn’t oozing, hot to the touch or giving you unnecessary pain.
“I think I’m alright,” you answered. “I cleaned it a bit more again and wrapped it up in new gauze. I can put a little more weight on it today.” You gave him a grateful smile. “I can thank you for the first aid you gave to it.”
”I hope you’re not planning to embark on some grand hiking expedition when we get there, my dear,” Knock Out warned. “Something like that will aggravate it and maybe open it up.”
”Hey, the only thing I envisioned is us hanging around a campfire, stargazing and talking. I’m not gonna deviate from those.”
”Good. Because, doctor’s orders, you need to rest it more. Humans do not take good care of themselves.”
”You're just realizing that now? We’re an incredibly reckless, stubborn and pigheaded species.”
”Hey, no one is perfect.” He smiled impishly. “Except me, of course.”
“Meanwhile, you’re scared of a little bit of soda being spilled in your interior.”
”Do you know what it can do to the Human body? It rots teeth and can lead to health issues. It’s swill. Soda is disgusting. And that’s that.”
Oh, you had a feeling you were going to have too much fun with him.
(Promontory Point – a little later)
There was no way you were going to settle on the abandoned campground. You had no desire to run the risk of being espied upon by partying teenagers. Neither was the idea of contracting malaria particularly romantic. Yes, it was desolate but it wasn't ideal in the slightest which was a shame really. If it was more isolated, clean and less ruined, it would've been perfect.
It was decided you'd travel a little further down the old logging roads you were at a few days earlier. A little further along those dirt roads, closer to the summit, there was a clearing that had once been a basecamp for the lumberjacks that worked on their logging projects. The trailers had long since been pulled away along with all their equipment but remains of fire pits remained along with an old garage constructed of cinderblocks. There wouldn't be too much foliage in the area and would make it easier to set up camp.
Yeah, it was a weird first date and a bit unconventional but he was anything but the typical man either. Honestly, you were a bit proud of yourself for cooking this up. He was free to interact without much interference at all. He could unravel and relax. The both of you could.
The sun was still high enough in the sky where you could do your necessary tasks before it got too dark. Luckily, you had come prepared and you knew what to do. Experience was also a plus. Thank God you did a lot of camping when you were a kid and knew what to do for the most part. That knowledge would come in handy, plus it might be fun explaining it all to the giant, metal man.
"Ah, looks like we're here," he said as she slowed down. "This is the place, right?"
You stuck your head out the window, looking ahead and seeing the location. It was a little messy and nature was making a come back but that was to be expected. Some small trees were sprouting from the earth but it wasn't that big of a deal. So long as there was some suitable ground for you to pitch your tent on and he had some shelter to utilize if the weather suddenly turned sour, then everything would be fine.
"Yeah, that's it!" you confirmed. "Just pull in and we'll start."
The holoform had faded as soon as you pulled onto the dirt road some miles back. Knock Out was confident no one would notice a car driving of its own volition with a woman in the passenger seat. He was taking full advantage of this privacy and really cutting loose. The medic was going to enjoy it and make the most of it.
When he pulled into the area and stopped, you clambered out. The trunk popped open and you pulled the luggage and gear out, eager to get started.
As soon as you removed those things, he immediately transformed. The car altered, taking on its true form. Knock Out sighed in relief and stretched his limbs out when he was finished transforming. He tilted his helm to the side, loosening any tight joints or pistons. There was a smile on his face as he relished it, happy to not be confined to his vehicle mode and holoform.
"Oh, you have no idea how good this feels," he crooned. "The only time I really get to unwind and transform is in the privacy of the garage."
"That's right," you said, forgetting that he actually lived in Mr. Wheeler's garage. "It is pretty spacious and nice. I think he insulated it too."
"It's not a bad set up. Kevin fixed it up a lot for me. There's even an upper loft to it just in case if some…fan ever followed me back and poked around. Still gotta try to maintain the illusion, y'know?"
"I get it."
"You'll have to take a tour at some point. The bed will be yours if you ever sleep over. I sure don't use it."
"I'd offer mine to you but you'd crush it."
"So eager to get me into yours already, huh? Sorry, I'm not interested in a one night stand with you, my dear. I want something more."
You growled quietly and felt your face get hot almost instantly. You tried your best to ignore his quip but this was Knock Out you were dealing with. That was way easier said than done.
"Wanna go make yourself useful and gather some firewood?" you grumbled. "I'm gonna be setting up the tent."
"Sure thing," he winked at you.
You shook your head and focused on your task. Dear God, did you really just subject yourself to this? You were gonna be camping out with him, alone. Were you okay?
You tried to busy yourself, taking the folded up tent out of its carrying bag. The collapsible rods were the next to come out of the case. It was handy that Kelsey still had her old camping gear that she lent to you for this venture. Perhaps it meant that this excursion was supposed to happen after all. So far, so good, right?
You heard and felt him walk little off. It would take a little getting used to. You'd have to remind yourself that some dinosaur wasn't making its way over to you, it was only a talking sports car. Yeah, that was going to take a bit to adjust to one hundred percent.
You threaded the rods through the appropriate tabs in the tent fabric, intent on getting it up and moving onto the next task. Partaking in hot dogs and s'mores in the evening sounded absolutely divine.
When you heard him call your name out, you turned to him. He was standing next to a tree, gesturing to it. It was roughly around the same height he was.
"Think this'll be good for the night?" he asked.
"Knock Out, that's a whole tree," you remarked. "You can just go around and pick up some sticks, it's no big deal. It's easier." You laughed quietly. "Besides, I didn't pack a chainsaw into any of these bags."
"Why go around wasting valuable time with such tiny twigs?" He rolled his optics. "Such a drag. Besides, what if you have to get up in the middle of the night to gather more wood and you get attacked by a vicious buffalo?"
"…there's no buffalo here. Are you talking about bears maybe?"
"That's what I meant! Animals aren't my forte." He smiled. "Besides, you might not have a chainsaw. But I do. Sort of."
WHAT?
Before you could question him, you watched as his hand seemed to retract and or reshape, it was hard to tell because it was so fast. The hand was replaced by a very sharp and gnarly looking implement. You blinked a few times, wondering if what you saw was actually happening.
Was that a fucking buzzsaw?
With one swift and clean motion, he sliced the tree at its base. The buzzsaw effortlessly cleaved through the tree, severing it. His other servo held fast to it though, forbidding it from falling. While he still held onto the trunk, he continued to cut it up into sizable pieces, the loose portions falling to the ground into a pile.
Goddamn. Well, that was one way to solve the firewood problem. Maybe a little extreme but he made a good point earlier. There'd be no need to get extra wood in the middle of the night now.
"Done!" he announced. His buzzsaw retracted back and his servo sprang forth again, putting away the weapon. "See how much easier that was?"
"Yeah," you said almost blankly despite the fact that your eyes were widened. "Huh. Ain't that handy? You can turn into a car, you can pop a buzzsaw out of your hand…"
"I know, I'm just full of surprises." He winked at you. Then he gathered up some of the wood and carried it over to the remains of the firepit. "What else needs done before dark?"
Oh, he was helpful. That was good and encouraging. That earned a checkmark in your book.
(sunset)
"It's done!"
You smiled as you pulled the poker away from the radiant heat and flames. The marshmallow that was at the end of one of the prongs was cooked to perfection. Nearby, two pieces of graham cracker and a block of chocolate lay in waiting.
"Cooking always did seem to be such a messy business," Knock Out commented.
"Yes but the end result is worth it, most of the time," you replied. "I'm no four star chef but I can cook a thing or two really well. And s'mores are treats I have plenty of experience making. Thank you, childhood."
You carefully maneuvered the poker, resting the crisp marshmallow atop the chocolate. You could see it start to slightly melt with the introduction of the hot marshmallow and you hastily slid it off of the metal rod. When that was done, you set the other graham cracker atop it, finishing your culinary creation. Gently, you pressed down on it, making the marshmallow squish and causing you to smile in satisfaction.
"And that is how you make s'mores," you said, facing your date. "Easy."
"Primitive," he remarked, "and easy enough to make."
"This one is yours, Knock Out."
"Mine?"
That was rather sweet but he really couldn't. Yes, he could partake in it but it was pointless. It provided him with zero sustenance. Plus, the crackers were crumbly, the chocolate was melting and the marshmallow seemed…unsavory. It would probably get everywhere.
"Yeah," you nodded. "I'm still a bit full from the roasted hot dogs. I know you declined one of those but at least try one of these."
"Eh…" he laughed weakly. "I'm touched by your offer but I couldn't. I'll have to pass. Thanks though."
Maybe it was a bit redundant to offer him some food. He said he could have it but it wasn't necessary. He operated on an entirely different nutritional source and it sure as heck didn't consist of s'mores and hot dogs. Maybe your offer was a bit silly and unnecessary but you were only trying to be generous and inclusive.
"Yeah, sorry," you said, looking away. "I should've remembered that you don't really need Human food."
"I appreciate your politeness, however," he quickly chimed in, not wanting to disappoint or dampen your mood. "Besides…s'mores look so messy and wouldn't it get everywhere?"
God, you were not going to get into a debacle over something as dumb as this. That was pointless and petty. You noticed he was a bit of a neat freak. You were going to zip it and just move on. If he turned it down, you sure as Hell weren't going to pass up on it.
"Maybe," you said as you took a bite out of your snack.
Your eyes turned skyward. The horizon ahead of you was changing in colors in real time with the setting sun. Reds, pinks, oranges, golds and faint hues of blues filled your vision. High above, at the very crest of the sphere, there was the faint flickering of a few, bright stars. There were almost no clouds on this night and it offered you a lovely, unobscured view of the sunset. Lower and lower, the sun continued to seemingly dissolve into the west.
A smile formed as you took another bite of your s'more. Something about this seemed so natural and calming. You felt like you were at ease. Maybe it was because you were doing an activity you had missed out on for so long. It felt so right and aligned… And you were completely unbothered by your company.
Around you, you could hear the sounds of nocturnal insects starting to stir up. With the departure of the sun, and the advent of the moon, the setting changed.
"I have to admit it," he said, his voice calm.
Ah, that was another thing… You were glad you weren't facing him because you could feel your cheeks start to burn.
"What's up?" you wondered.
"This is a beautiful planet," he admitted. "I never was one for organic worlds…so much moisture and squishy things and that whole ilk. But it's so varied. It's so bright and vibrant. This planet might not have the lights and shining landscapes of Cybertron yet there's a charm to it I can't ignore. Maybe it's my inner scientist that is piqued by this world. It's a wild place…Humans can't tame it and they're at its mercy."
"But it's our home. Always has been, always will." You ignored the warmth in your face and faced him. "Cybertron… what's that like? I wanna heart about your homeworld."
"Where to begin? Where to start? There's so much I can tell you."
"Anywhere. I'll keep up, I promise."
“Cybertron is entirely made of metal. It's actually a living thing, much like Earth. Everywhere, as far as the eye could see, there was a dizzying sprawl of activity and life. There were buildings that extended miles into the skyline. There were so many Cybertronians too…you had the Seekers who flew through the skies, carrying on with their exercises and routines. You had the regular old bots who stayed on the ground, racing around through the streets. There was music, there was culture, there was…life. There was so much promise and grandeur and splendor."
The picture he was painting was like something out of a dream. Your mind ran wild with these mental images of this bustling place and to you, it sounded like a utopia. However, you knew it most likely wasn't entirely accurate, especially if this war broke out and so many of his species had been killed. Something had to have occurred to devastate this inorganic Eden.
"I remember attending my medical classes and sneaking out in between my studies to go racing with my friends," he resumed. "Then we'd go out for a night of drinking at our favorite energon bars. Maccadam's was always where we ended up at…mostly for the smooth high grade and the karaoke."
"What were the names of some of your friends?" you asked, interested and wanting him to open up more.
"I had lots of friends but there were some I was closer to than others. The ones I really hung around with were Breakdown, Moonracer, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. We…"
It hurt. It still hurt him after all those years. When the war broke out, they went their separate ways. There was a definite bitterness that still mulled deeply within him at that. But Knock Out was happy that they even occurred. At least they were happy and made plenty of memories and good times before the outbreak.
And although he had been actively on the side of the Autobots were over a decade now, he had heard nothing of the three speedsters he once ran with. Even when he was granted access to Autobot databases and comm-channels, he never found out anything. The most recently updated information about them was from over thousands of years ago. They had been unaccounted for since then. For all he knew, they could've been offline. They hadn't shown up since the open invitation to return to Cybertron had been broadcast.
They could be dead. But he liked to think that maybe they were following in his footsteps. Maybe they had found some other planet and settled there, refusing to back to Cybertron for one reason or another. Maybe the pain was still too much and the wounds too deep. Maybe the good memories had become bittersweet and kept them up at night, forbidding them from recharging properly.
He had gone silent and reflective again. It was hard to tell whether this was beneficial or detrimental for him. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts, almost disconnected. As much as you wished for him to open up and unload any baggage or share anything at all, neither did you want him to relive any unnecessary anguish or pain.
Maybe this was what Kelsey was talking about earlier. If so, you understood her perfectly by what she meant.
"We were good friends but the war split us up," he finally explained. "Moonracer, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe joined the Autobots. Breakdown and I became Decepticons. He and I tried to remain neutral in the beginning but it swiftly got to a point where you had to wear one emblem or the other. And the Decepticons…made a strong case."
"Sounds like you were pressganged," you remarked.
"More or less. Wrong place at the wrong time sort of thing."
"How did this war break out exactly?"
"I'll summarize it the best I can in a few short sentences, sweetspark. Megatron was a slave and was the victim of unfortunate circumstances and the High Council members were not interested in seeing reality. They were extremely corrupt. Oppressed castes rose up and things got violent and ugly real fast. Megatron gathered up those who sympathized him or had something personal against the opposition…and war broke out."
Perhaps slavery was a universal constant. It was a big problem with your species and apparently it was the same with his too. Maybe it was something, a consequence that came with being a dominant, intelligent, advanced species.
"Where were you in the midst of everything?" you wondered, wanting to know even more. You were becoming insatiably curious, even fascinated at this point. "What did it all mean to you?"
"Honestly, I didn't care because it wasn't my problem," the red mech admitted. "I was a medical student so in my spare time I liked to go racing, partying, drinking and living life to the maximum. That was all I cared about. I was young and dumb. The city I lived in at the time was pretty cushy and didn't have much strife. The threat of uprisings and disquiet were like nothing but here-say to me. They were the problems of the other cities and they could stay there as far as I was concerned. I didn't care." He shook his helm. "It wasn't my problem until it became everyone's problem."
Knock Out let out a quiet, mirthful laugh. It was amusing how he was having all of these revelations and realizations and he only experienced these things when he switched loyalties and went through the tribulations he had.
"It's funny," he continued. "Megatron sought to free himself and others. But in the end of it all, he killed and enslaved just like those he rebelled against. He had become just like them. His own Decepticons were his slaves as well. It was either do his will or die. I have no idea why I stuck with him for as long as I did. I mean, I do…but I was terrified of him. I didn't want to disappoint him and my superiors. I didn't want to be offlined."
"But you changed sides," you reminded him. "You're free of him."
"True. He's gone and I hope he never rears his ugly helm again. I guess you can say I was sick of the constant abuse, mistreatment, belittling and general unappreciation. If Breakdown were still around, I have a feeling he would've traded sides. And if he'd do that, I'd follow him, no questions asked."
"Do your current teammates appreciate you now?"
"I'd say so. Some of them are a little wary of me but I guess I can't blame them. Ratchet, he's a fellow medic, and he seems grateful for any input or help I give him."
"I can understand why you want to stay on Earth in the meantime. It makes a lot more sense to me."
"I don't think they really need me back on Cybertron and that was another reason why I stayed behind here as an ambassador of sorts." He smiled. "I like Earth. And even if Cybertron was never revived, I'd still stay here. The automobiles are spectacular and the organic femmes are beyond lovely."
Despite you shaking your head at his latter comment, you still smiled. You glanced at the sky, seeing that the sun had set. Dark blues had overtaken the color of the sky now and the stars were becoming more numerous and prominent, looking like diamonds in the celestial tapestry.
"You couldn't see the stars on Cybertron, unlike here," Knock Out commented. "Too much light pollution."
"It's the same thing here," you argued. "Granted, some places have it worse than others but there're spots in the world where you can see entire galaxies with the naked eye when the conditions are right."
"Kinda makes you feel insignificant and tiny, right?"
"In the greater and grander schemes? And just recently finding out about you and your species?" You scoffed. "Yes, it’s humbling to say the least."
"The universe is way bigger and more populated than you can possibly think. Cybertronians have been scattered across the stars for countless years since our mass exodus. I've heard endless amounts of stories of other planets and aliens from those who returned."
"It's not so hard to believe. With scientists saying the universe is bigger than we can comprehend, it's guaranteed at that point. And with us being barely able to comprehend the mysteries and unknowns on our own planet, how are we even supposed to solidly guess what's beyond our solar system?"
"Well said. There's a lot our kind doesn't know either. It might be safe to say some things are better left unexplained or unknown."
"Cheers. I can drink to that."
This felt good. Knock Out felt at ease. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so mellow. His guard was let down but he was fine with that. His instincts assured him all was well. They were both out in the middle of the wilderness. There was no way they'd be bothered. The words shared between them were spoken by them and no one else.
He missed this vulnerability. He loved it. He craved it. There was no room or time for things of that nature for so long. But now with the war concluded, now he had a chance.
This Human seemed so trusting, honest, open…
No. It was still far too early. He couldn't get too attached too quickly. It was entirely possible it could go up in flames. If failure was the end result, he'd move on. He had to do it for all the other previous ones. It'd hurt but he'd have no choice. There'd be no point in dwelling on it and feeling sorry for himself.
But what good was dwelling on something if it wasn't here now?
"Hey," he said, tapping your leg carefully with the tip of his digit.
"What's up?" you responded, smiling at him.
He was starting to love that smile.
"I think I will try a s'more after all," he said. "It can't be that bad."