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Day 2: Date!
2 Months after meeting Shockwave (Meeting #16)(Yes, Blurr is keeping count. He's doing research)
Lately, Blurr has been interrupted on 3 of his morning runs so far this week. Usually, if he saw a fan screeching to run to him, he was quick to divert his path and take a different route. These days though, he was so used to the little girl and her unwilling follower that he would slow down a fraction and let them catch up. Sari loved jogging with him in the mornings on weekends or days she could weasel out of school. Optimus, a local firefighter, occasional substitute teacher, was her usual babysitter. He'd use this jog to get an extra workout in while catching up with an old friend.
It was through one of these jogs that he learned of Sari's weekend activities. She'd been spending her Saturdays baking treats for her classmates at Shockwave's house. "He has a bunch of recipes stuck in his drawers, and a girl in my class likes cookies so I've been practicing." She grumbled as Optimus helped re-lace her jogging shoes.
"I think it's nice that you want to make Miko feel welcome. I'm sure she'll like the cookies you make her." the firefighter has a radiant smile, his large hand messing up Sari's fluffy pigtails as he ruffles her hair.
The little girl swats at his hand. "Yeah that's great and all, but I'm worried about Uncle Shocks. If I'm baking with you Oppy, Shocks will be lonely in the living room without me." As if it were the most natural motion, she turns her eyes owlishly to Blurr who was idly stretching, trying to fight the jittery urge to run ahead. He hated waiting, but these two set the pace for these things.
Jumping at the little girl's attention finally being focused solely on him, he searched her gaze for the right way to tell her that he didn't think he needed to keep bothering Shockwave during his weekends with his niece, but at her insistent, infectious grin, he felt his arguments fizzle out.
"I still have a few days here in town before my next tour. I could squeeze in a visit so you can..bake…" why she couldn't do this at her father's house, he didn't know. Better yet, why was he falling for this when he knew Shockwave preferred the solitude during Sari's adventures? He was a lot like LongArm in that way…
The girl clapped, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Goodie! Dress up fancy and Oppy and I will make you dinner as a thank you!"
He spent longer than he cared on his attire, agonized over the state of his windswept hair, called his agent about an extended stay (though he'd extended his leave already, so it was unlikely he could risk it again and keep his record unblemished). He was nervous, hadn't been this nervous about a gathering since he finally worked up the courage to ask LongArm out back in their early college days.
But this wasn't a date. It barely counted as a proper hang out. He was just keeping a full grown man company while his niece abandoned him for confectionary gains. Yeah. Two dudes hanging out.
Thus, he found himself outside of Shockwave's house, dressed up according. His blue hair was slicked back, he was wearing his favorite high tops and jeans, his cropped jacket matched the dark blue clips that helped hold his hair back in place. He hoped this was nice enough. The object in his right pocket added enough weight to keep his grounded. He had considered bringing flowers, but the idea left a nasty feeling in his gut. Not yet.
Sari yanked the door open before he could even knock. The girl had her hair pulled into a high ponytail, kekeping it out of her face. She wore an orange dress, a bright red and blue apron covered in flour told him she was already at least 5 minutes into baking.
"Oh our guest of honor has arrived! Leave your shoes at the door and go wait in the living room!" she hadn't even finished speaking before she turned on her heel, scampering into the dark, cluttered hallway.
Shockwave's house felt different when there was life in it. When he could hear things moving in a different room, when the stacks of papers and random cluttered stones and change and gears and bolts had been shifted by movement, it felt so much less like a corpse.
The first doorway to the right was the living room. Shockwave was sitting up, the curtain drawn, his television, for once, not playing one of Blurr's races. After a meeting or two, the brittle man had stopped hiding himself in Burr's presence, telling him if he wanted to torture himself like that he would be the last to stop him. Today, he almost smiles at Blurr.
"I take it you were roped into helping with the baking adventures? Sari told me something about a tea party for a classmate tomorrow while her father's home."
Warmth bloomed in the racer's chest as he leaned on the doorway, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. "Yeah, new girl in class. her and Optimus told me about it during our morning run."
A wheezing chuckle from the medical bed pressed against the wall had his fingers drumming inside of his pocket on the trinket he carried there. "She's been slowing your runs down I take it. I apologize for her, we all know how you loathe to be held back."
Clenching his fingers around the slender box in his pocket, Blurr makes himself walk at a normal pace before offering it out to Shockwave. He looks away, too embarrassed to see the man's reaction to the gift he picked up at the stationary story on his way over. LongArm had always liked elaborate ink pens, he assumed Shockwave would as well. Their tastes were so similar.
"I don't mind it much…sometimes."
He could feel Shockwave's eye focus on him, locking him in place. But before he could question him, Sari and Optimus, both dressed as waiters, stepped in and announced their meal.
Honestly, Blurr was starting to wonder if he was being held back, or if he was just starting to catch up.
Sari later told Optimus her plans were working perfectly. Uncle Shocks couldn't take his eye off of Blurr all night!