Inferno and Red Alert VIII
Title: Inferno and Red Alert VIII
Rating: T
Inferno stumbled back out from the washroom, massaging part of his jaw as he headed into his berthroom. The plating was still sore from the fight the orn before but at least it was slowly popping back out. Moonracer had blown up at the sight of him, brought home by the sergeant, clothing ripped and baring the classic signs of a tussle. When she discovered that it involved Red Alert's brother... Suffice to say, Moonracer had grounded him for the rest of spring break and he was under strict orders to maintain his distance from the two dobermans. She had promised that she'd enlist fellow townsfolk to aid in her new protocols to ensure his obedience, if need be. Inferno was trapped; there was no way he'd be able to hide things like this from his carrier any more nor could he circumvent her orders. Worse yet, he'd showed an ugly side of himself -one he didn't know he had- to Red Alert and all of Yuss. No doubt he'd terrified his poor friend, if the lack of communication was any confirmation.
The german shepherd looked towards his desk, moving through the darkness and searching shortly for his cellphone. A quick press of buttons showed that he still had not received a reply. Sighing, Inferno opened a desk drawer, tossing the mobile inside. He paused though before closing it, fingers reaching inside and touching lightly on a manila folder within. He'd really hoped to share these pamphlets with Red Alert... but the deadline for the summer program was coming up and it seemed unlikely that he'd be able to tell his friend about the Firefighters' courses in time. Shoulders sagging, Inferno began to withdraw, his fingers, pulling something cool and thin to the forefront of the drawer. Puzzled, the youngling took the item out entirely, realizing it was a belt.
Slag, he thought gloomily, how was he going to get this back to Red Alert now?
As Inferno contemplated his options (maybe he could get away with slipping it into the doberman's bag at school? Leave it in his mailbox?) his servos weaved the item through his fingers, slowly thumbing the pre-made holes as he did. The belt was so small... Barely the length of his forearm and with a width of half his pinkie finger. The red autodog stopped his studying, wracking his memory archives at the new discovery, trying to envision his friend before him now. Was Red Alert really so tiny? There came a clanging from outside, startling Inferno out of his reprieve. Tossing the belt onto his desk, the german shepherd crossed quickly to his berthroom window, face nearly pressed against the glass as he peered out on the moonlit yard. He could just make out among the shadows the sight of their trash pails knocked over but there were no signs of wildlife out on the grass. Probably just spooked away by the noise, the youngling rationalized to himself, falling back onto his berth. It was still too late... or early, depending on how you looked at it... Either way, the youngling argued, rubbing at an optic tiredly, it was best he got back to sleep. He didn't need to add oversleeping to the list of Moonracer's current irritants.
Just as he'd rolled over in his berth, there came another sound, so soft that at first Inferno didn't believe he'd heard anything at all. Holding still, he strained an ear to listen through the quiet house; shooting up when it came a second time. He couldn't be imagining that; it sounded like petrorabbits tapping rapidly at his door with a muffled paw! Tip-toeing out of his room, Inferno glanced at his carrier's berthroom door -still shut, which meant Moonracer remained asleep- hurrying downstairs quickly, doing his best to not make any additional noise. He got to his front door quickly yet stopped, a servo on the handle, as a third, timid set of rapping echoed softly on wood. The sound was coming from... behind him? Turning his helm, the german shepherd peered through the hall and into the darkened kitchen, staring uncertainly at the back door. Nothing seemed out of place. As he approached the second door, Inferno noted belatedly that the knocking had stopped after the third repetition; a finger of doubt was wriggling in the back of his mind now, setting his neural net on edge as he twisted the knob and swung the door open.
To see... nothing. The autodog shuttered his optics, dumbfounded, leaning out onto the back porch, straining both his ears and optics. The moonlight revealed no secrets to him and only the music of insecticons and nearby toads filled an otherwise silent night. Was he imagining things in his exhausted state? Inferno took a step back, ready to shut the door, when something glittered on the edge of his peripheral. Fireflies? Wait, no, the youngling realized, his optics tracking the odd glittering lights as they swayed by the porch's edge. He'd seen those lights before!
"...Red Alert?," he called out softly, uncertain, "Red, that ya?"
The "fireflies" sparkled sporadically, drooping out of sight, before white fingers slipped over the lip of the porch, timid, crystal optics following a couple astroseconds after, highlighted under Red Alert's flashing antennae.
At the confirmation, Inferno hurried over, pulling off his pajama shirt and draping it over the shivering doberman. "Red, what- why're ya runnin' 'bout in the middle o' the night?," he asked, vocalizer rife with worry for his friend. "Look at ya! Yer freezin' an' dirty. Come on, let's git ya in-"
Slender digits dug into the german shepherd's forearms as he tried to lead the smaller autodog into his house; held in place by the unnaturally strong grip. "Red?," he began, his concern growing.
"...p-please, don't s-speak," Red Alert whispered, his helm tucked away from the other youngling's sight, "I n-need to say th-this... n-now, before..."
"But-"
"No!," the doberman snapped, fierce optics flashing up toward the red autodog. Inferno felt himself lean back an inch at the sudden volume from his friend, his spark pulsing weakly as the intensity faded from the crystal orbs, leaving behind only fear and grief.
"I-i...," Red Alert began, his tone dropping down into a hush again. His gaze, though, remained fixated up at the german shepherd. "Th-those bottles... t-they were mine. In the street. I-i never meant... wa-wanted... you to see those. I w-was born sickly; m-my creators told me, I n-nearly died. S-see, I w-was one of t-three triplets. N-no one knew I-i e-even existed, n-not even the vets, n-not u-until the orn m-my brothers were protoformed. B-because o-of that I... I-i'm not 'right'."
The fingers were digging deeper, piercing his plating with their blunt tips, but Inferno held still, even when it began to sting. He was too horrifyingly engrossed in the tale that his friend was sharing to disrupt him now.
"A-all my life, I... I-i've been terrified," the doberman confessed with a whimper, his gaze dropping an inch. "N-nightmares a-and panic attacks and p-paranoia... I-i've never b-been able to j-just live; e-everyone e-else is happy and h-having fun and I-i-i can't even go to t-the washroom unless a very s-stringent list of r-requirements are met p-prior b-because of my s-slagging glitch!"
Intakes stalled in the white youngling's chestplates, coolant rapidly flooding the fracturing orbs. Inferno felt his own gloss over at the sight.
Trembling hard, it was a klik before Red Alert was able to continue on. "M-my brothers, S-sideswipe and Sunstreaker, t-they protected m-me... from the n-nightmares, d-day terrors, b-bullies... B-but then S-sunstreaker was l-locked up a-and I h-had a p-psychotic b-break l-like none before, f-forcing my parents to b-bring me h-here. I d-didn't think a-anything would change; i-it never has be-before...," the doberman mumbled, his vents becoming more erratic as the words started spilling out faster. "T-then I met you and y-you've been the o-only fri-friend I've e-ever had, t-the only pe-person that h-hasn't treated m-me like a f-freak. S-so I l-lied to y-you and h-hid these things b-because I di-didn't w-want to lose y-you! B-but I was p-put on a n-new drug and t-they made me so sick, a-and Si-sideswipe got w-worried and h-he st-started blaming you, t-thinking you w-were gonna hurt me, t-though you're not l-like the b-bullies and I-i w-want to t-tell h-him that but I-i can't do anything right 'c-cause I'm just a f-failure a-and br-broken, g-glitched, a-and I'll n-never b-be able to do t-the amazing th-things you can and I-i'm s-sooo afraid you'll l-leave me 'cause your d-dreams are so beautiful a-and I-i tr-tricked you i-into being m-my friend t-though I k-know you probably h-hate me and-"
Enough was enough. Inferno touched one of the servos grasping his frame, squeezing it gently to silence the self-condemnation spewing from thin lip components. "...Red, look at meh?," he pleaded softly, waiting patiently for his friend's optics to meet his own. When they did, the red autodog moved his servo so that it was cupping a tear-streaked cheekplate instead, staring deeply into the other's grieving orbs.
"Aye could nev'r hate ya, Red," Inferno shared in the same, quiet tone; a small, sorrow-tinged smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, "Nor will Aye ev'r leave ya."
Red Alert let out a broken sob, his servos sliding off of the german shepherd's arm, slack with raw emotion. In the same moment they did, Inferno pulled the shorter youngling tight to his frame, crushing him up in his tight embrace as his companion broke down completely.
xxXxXxx
Morning sunlight pooled into the room, warm, despite the chill that still lingered from the twilight cycles. Optics onlining, Inferno took a few astroseconds to adjust to the sudden brightness; a reminder niggling at the back of his processor about his bare shoulder plating being too cool. Why was that exactly?
At once, his memory archives brought forth the file of his late night encounter... and the german shepherd's optics drifted downwards languidly to peek at the unusual addition to his berth. Red Alert lay curled into Inferno's side, servos clasped against his chestplates and helm tucked under one of the red youngling's arms. He slumbered peacefully still -and who could blame him! The doberman had such an ordeal the night prior. Inferno smiled, comforted by the sight of his precious friend lying beside him, safe and sound.
Primus, did he look so delicate...
The taller autodog was content just to lie there in his berth all orn with the other mechling, and he was relaxing again to do just that, when his gaze drifted over the sunlit room lazily, optics flaring as they caught the inconspicuous note taped to his door. 'See me,' its enlarged font read in Moonracer's familiar handwriting. A touch of dread afflicted Inferno then; with miraculous grace, he managed to slide out of his berth without rousing Red Alert, taking a moment to tuck the blankets snugly about the smaller youngling's frame, before he padded quietly out of his room. He did not even get the chance to close the door behind himself before Moonracer appeared on the landing, her arms folded over her chestplates as she scowled at her son.
"We need to talk," she announced crisply.
Nodding, his unease tripled, the german shepherd obediently followed his carrier downstairs. At her direction, he plopped onto the couch, doing his best not to shrink into himself. "M-mama, Aye can ex-"
"Hush," the dalmation ordered.
Inferno did.
Vocalizer rich with agitation, Moonracer began with, "A certain black youngling appeared at my door this morning. Real aggressive and unmannered; he was certain we were hiding his brother."
The youngling felt his fingers curl slowly into fists. That could have only been Sideswipe.
"After trying to force his way into our home," the femme said, scowl deepening, "I sent the impudent pup packing, confident in the knowledge that my Inferno would never get up to such wild activities. So what do I find upon checking your room? You don't even wait twenty-four hours to disobey me- I told you to keep away from those two, Inferno!"
"Mama, it's not like that," Inferno protested, ears flattening against his helm, "Please, Aye-"
"That pup has brought you nothing but trouble all year and you're out gallivanting with him at night?," Moonracer interjected with a low growl, her finger pointing accusatorily to the ceiling. "Do you think you're being cute, lying side by side with that lil' magnet of mischief?!"
"Don't speak 'bout Red Alert like that!," the german shepherd shouted, jumping to his pedes. He stood, ready to hurt, before rationality kicked in and he remembered that it was his carrier that he was glaring at. The sight of her horrified expression, tinged by fear, humbled the youngling.
"Aye... He came ta meh last night, mama. Bravely, but so terrified," Inferno mumbled, taking a step back meekly. "He told meh that he was born sickly, that ev'ryone in his family jus' wants ta protect him. But they're stranglin' him, mama. He ain't nev'r thought 'bout his own happiness o' future, 'cause they got him so convinc'd that he's too invalid ta have thoughts like that. Now they wanna take away our friendship -the only good thang he has left. No one else cares 'bout him! Not the town, not the kids at school who all bully him, nor the suppos'd family he's got... Only me. Only Aye care and see him for the intelligent, courageous, loving spark he is. But even ya are against him..."
"Mama," the red autodog continued softly, "Ya always taught meh ta be fair ta oth'rs; that we don't know what trials they face. Yet ya aren't bein' very fair right now... Red Alert, he's jus' tryin' ta be bett'r, mama. And he can be, if he jus' had someone to help him. Aye want ta be that help. Please don't be like the rest, mama."
Moonracer's brow remained ever so slightly furrowed, but with a sigh, her frame relaxed again. "...We will discuss this more in detail later, Inferno," she replied. "For now, set your friend up with a shower an' throw his clothes into the wash. There'll be food for ya both when you're finished."
Though the promise of a later conversation set the youngling's neural net on edge, he was still overjoyed that his carrier wasn't tossing the doberman out the door that very instant. Giving the femme a quick hug and kiss, Inferno raced back up the stairs, slowing to a quiet crawl as he opened his berthroom door. He was greeted by the sight of an anxious Red Alert sitting upright in his berth.
"'Ey...," he called out softly. Red Alert jolted hard at the greeting, before his optics landed on the other autodog, visibly calming down at once. "Aye didn't think ya'd be awake yet."
The doberman shrunk into his shoulder plating a little, his crystal orbs dimming in mute sorrow. "I-I heard yelling... I'm sorry, f-for taking your berth and- I'll j-just go." Red Alert shoved the blankets off in a hurry by the time Inferno had crossed the room; carefully, he grabbed one of the white autodog's servos, giving it a gentle squeeze as his companion hesitated a fleeting glance up at him.
"Aye apologize for the rude awakenin'. Meh mama was... unhappy 'bout the impromptu guest, but nobody wants ya gone, Red," Inferno assured, his vocalizer lowered to a sweet, country drawl. "Yer clothes are still muddy from last night. Let's git ya clean'd up, throw on some fresh clothes, an' put a good meal in yer tanks. Then we can worry 'bout ev'rythang else after."
Red Alert appeared as though he might still protest but at the german shepherd's kindly urging, he allowed himself to be taken to the washroom where Inferno began the shower for him. "Sorry Aye don't 'ave much else for ya ta wear," the red autodog said shamefully, setting an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt onto the sink counter. "Anyways, I'll step out an' let ya do yer thang. We'll get yer stuff wash'd while we eat."
Inferno was just leaving when a shy servo touched his elbow; he looked back at once to find Red Alert peering at him with timid optics, cheekplates dusted with a fine layer of magenta. "I-i... C-could you wait o-outside the door? Pl-please?," the shorter youngling asked quietly, "I-it's fine i-if-"
"Aye would be happy ta stay here for ya," Inferno interrupted with a grin, understanding now that this was all tied to his poor friend's condition. The smile that bloomed on the doberman's face at the other autodog's agreement dazzled Inferno for a moment; belatedly, he realized that Red Alert had thanked him and was turning away to undress. The german shepherd hurried out of the washroom, shutting the door behind himself to give his friend some privacy, while he sat on the floor to wait.
He could not shake the image of that smile from his processor though.
xxXxXxx
Without a doubt, Red Alert felt ridiculous. The t-shirt was so large, to be almost monstrous in size -constantly sliding to one side, exposing his collar struts and a portion of his shoulder plating for all to see- and the only reason the shorts were even staying upright was because of his own belt slipped through the loops. The doberman was sure he looked like some sparkling's doll in the mismatched clothing, yet he couldn't care. He was clean, and warm, and wrapped up entirely in Inferno's scent. Oh, if only carry that smell with everywhere...
Red Alert onlined his optics again following his momentary musing, finding that his friend had finished setting the table for breakfast. Whether consciously or not, Inferno had set one plate back against the wall, a second adjacent to it. Sending a small smile of gratitude towards the taller youngling, Red Alert took his seat on the far side; one pede flat on the floor, the other pressed against the wall. On the table's free side, he set the manila folder that Inferno had given him. According to the german shepherd, there was some crucial info inside about firefighting and, though he doubted it would lead anywhere, the doberman had promised to look them over all the same.
Checking his watch, the red youngling sat as well, knocking the table roughly with his kneecaps as he did. "Um, sorreh 'bout that," he said, scratching at an ear in embarrassment. Red Alert did his best not to reflect on how the action increased his companion's adorableness. "Anyways, shouldn't be lon' now 'till the rinse cycle is complete. Then we'll git yer thangs dried so they're good an' toasty for ya!"
Red Alert was just about to vocalize his thanks again, when he felt the tell-tale vibrations of pedes moving through the house; Moonracer striding into the dining room, with two plates carried in each servo.
"Eat up," she said neutrally, "The orn is already half over."
"Thanks, mama," Inferno chirped merrily, digging into his heaping plate.
The doberman mumbled similarly, unable to fully meet the femme's gaze. Inferno's home had this magical way of soothing the anxious youngling's paranoia, but the teal dalmation was still a stranger to him. He did not know what she was capable of nor did he want her to develop a negative opinion of him. Moonracer was his friend's carrier, after all. Red Alert still felt a great rush of relief when the femme left the room... until his attention turned to the table next. This wasn't a plate, it was a platter! With a circumference of 15 inches, not a spot of ceramic could be seen under the mound of bacon, ham steaks, pancakes, biscuits, home fries and even a bowl of some curdled-looking porridge that had been squeezed into the pile! It was so much food...
And worse, Red Alert realized, he was expected to eat it. The panic was rising, paranoia pushing the feeling from a jog into a shrieking, wild trainwreck. What was he to do, Red Alert quailed in silent despair. He was astroseconds away from a meltdown or a violent flight-or-fight response that would no doubt hurt his friend, but how could he get Inferno to understand without insulting Moonracer in the process? He was beginning to tremble, coolant pooling over the edges of his vision, before a fork piercing his plate snapped the doberman out of his chaotic spiral.
"Sorreh, Red," Inferno smiled kindly, leaning a bit across the table. "Meh mama makes some o' the biggest breakfast 'round but ya prob'ly ain't accustom'd ta that. Ya don't have ta stress 'bout lookin' rude; Aye'll take some o' that off yer plate."
Red Alert watched, dumbfounded, as the red autodog transferred forkful after forkful of food to his own heaping plate, until maybe a fourth remained: a couple pancakes, a spoonful of home fries and eggs, a single biscuit and two strips of bacon. The rest was currently being devoured by the german shepherd with startling speed and voracity. No wonder Inferno was so big! A cold sweat still lingering on the back of his shoulder plating, the white youngling turned to his own plate, weakening with relief. Once again, without revealing if he did it knowingly, Inferno had spared Red Alert from another traumatic episode and confirmed that there was nothing to fear. His food, now sitting in his friend's tanks, was clearly not poisoned.
The german shepherd was so kind, Red Alert mused in silent adoration. Grabbing his utensils, Red Alert delicately took to his own meal, casting quick glances towards Inferno whenever his companion was distracted, reveling shyly on the fact that he could relive this moment every orn with the red youngling and never be unhappy. Then Moonracer returned, too soon it felt, and coasting on her heels came the crushing weight of reality.
"Inferno, the dryer's done. Please go collect your friend's things. An' if you're done," she said, turning to face the uneasy doberman, "I believe it's time you phoned your parents about your whereabouts."
Red Alert felt his tanks twist in agony at the reminder, erasing the peace he'd been basking in kliks beforehand. Inferno bounced onto his own pedes as the doberman slowly stood, a glimpse of kindness and worry reflected in his dark optics. "Aye can-," he began exuberantly.
"N-no," Red Alert was quick to butt in. He smiled weakly to try and reassure his friend that he was okay (or maybe himself?), a servo reaching out to touch the other youngling. He realized what he was doing belatedly, and more importantly, who he was doing it in front of; grabbing the abandoned manila folder instead, hoping his indiscretion went unnoticed, as his felt his face begin to burn. "It's f-fine. I-i'll just... b-be back."
Gaze lowered to the floor, Red Alert rushed to the kitchen, his ears twitching as he heard Moonracer once more order Inferno to the dryer. As the pedes of both autodogs faded elsewhere in the house, the white youngling turned about slowly in the kitchen, locating an older phone mounted to the wall. Tucking the folder under an arm, Red Alert pulled the handset out of the cradle, fingers twisted into the spiraled cord while the dial tone hummed obnoxiously near his ear. His tanks were roiling like a wild sea churned by a tropical storm, promising to relieve the shaking autodog of his recent meal.
'Hold it in. It's okay. You can do this,' Red Alert told himself silently, a finger reaching out to the dialpad. Inferno believed he could do anything. He just had to demonstrate that his friend's faith was not misplaced.
The dial tone changed over to a fast ringing, both of which were interrupted quickly by a loud click over the line. Cycling in an anxious intake, Red Alert gripped the phone tighter, his words slipping out in a meek hush. "H-hello, mom..."
xxXxXxx
Red Alert found himself standing out on Inferno's porch five kliks later, dressed in his own clothes again, feeling weaker and weaker by the astrosecond. His carrier had been so angry over the phone... Perhaps the youngling should have expected such a reaction to his disappearance, but the sound of her ire was still terrifying. He was sure it wouldn't be the last of it though. Shrinking into himself, Red Alert let his gaze drop away from the winding driveway, too busy fighting back tears to keep watch any longer.
"'Ey, Red," came Inferno's gentle drawl.
Something heavy and warm slid along the white autodog's shoulder plating. Mildly startled, the doberman turned to his companion, following black servos as they slipped the manila folder from his clutching grip.
"Here, let's git this sweat'r on ya. It's too chill for ya ta stand 'bout in jus' one layer," Inferno said, biting onto a corner of the folder as his servos went to work.
Red Alert allowed himself to be moved about by those kindly servos, the german shepherd dressing him into, what the smaller youngling noticed at the last moment, was an old, knitted cardigan. "I-inferno," Red Alert squeaked softly, grasping one of the servos as it buttoned up the front, "I-i can't t-take this! M-my mom will be here shortly a-anyhow and then I'll be h-home where it's w-warm!"
"Aye ain't gonna take a word o' complaint," Inferno grinned, melting any further protests with its simple charm. He removed the folder from between his denta and handed it back to his blushing companion. "What kind o' friend would Aye be if Aye let ya sit in the cold for even a klik- pick-up comin' o' not. 'Sides, Aye have no need for that ol' thang so it's bett'r if it gits some use out o' ya."
Red Alert opened his mouth to reply when the screen door squeaked open, Moonracer stepping out onto the porch as well. Quickly, the white youngling took a step away from Inferno. She paused, an optic ridge lifted as she looked the doberman over, shooting the clueless Inferno a glance last. "Your ride is coming up the drive now," the femme spoke, something hidden in her tone that made Red Alert's neural net crackle nervously. "Inferno, take a couple steps back, please."
Red Alert heard his friend acquiesce to his carrier's demands while he turned forward again, seeing that his family's car was indeed pulling up to the house at a startling speed. Swallowing hard, the doberman tip-toed down the porch steps as the vehicle skidded to a sudden stop on the gravel, several metres away from him.
"Red Alert!," his carrier screamed, throwing herself out of the driver's seat, "Red Alert!"
"I-i'm here," he called back weakly, as the femme ran for him, "Mom, I'm okay. I-"
"Red Alert, what the slag are you doing here?!," his mom interjected snappishly, grabbing her son's forearms. "You disappeared, you didn't take your phone, that mess in the kitchen- I thought for sure you were dead! Do you have any idea what you put your dad and I through?!"
Red Alert held in a whimper as his carrier's grip became too tight, the femme shaking the youngling a little as her initial worry became anger. "M-mom, please, I-i-," he struggled to say.
"Of all the selfish, reckless things... I expected better of you, Red Alert! You are not your brothers; you can't handle the sort of shenanigans they get up too. You're just not capable. You'll put yourself in danger! So just what are you trying to prove, Red Alert?," his carrier demanded, her words falling into a low growl. "Running off to who knows where, barging into stranger's houses- Do you even think, pup?!"
The timid autodog tried to twist free but the femme had an iron-clad grip on him; he couldn't escape her scolding and even worse, Inferno stood nearby, watching. Red Alert gave one last weak attempt that only resulted in his carrier yanking him closer and tears springing to the youngling's optics. If he had turned his helm a little further, he would have seen the german shepherd straighten up at the sight of his friend being cruelly berated, fists readying at his side as he took a heavy step forward.
"If I may, ma'am," Moonracer's vocalizer echoed out over the yard, to everyone's surprise. Pausing in her tirade, Red Alert's carrier glanced up at the other femme, optics narrowed slightly at the dalmation leaning over the porch banister above the pair. "I understand yer family has had a mighty big fright this morning. My boy found yer own wandering the woods earlier; we cleaned him up an' fed him, but I think it's best he get some shut-optic. He seems a tad strung out from his nightly walk."
"I... Yes," Red Alert's mom bit out, her mouth turning downwards into a scowl. She did release her son though, forcing out a dutiful 'Thank you' to the dalmation before walking back to the car. Moonracer merely nodded, stepping back into the house as well, to the astonishment of both younglings. "Red Alert, get in. We're going home."
Red Alert felt himself hesitate, still turned towards the house, just as Inferno made optic contact with the white autodog. He knew he had to go home but, by Primus, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay here, he thought glumly. Stay in this cozy house with all its colours and clutter, where Inferno and his scent lingered in every particle of the framework. The german shepherd's navy blue orbs seemed to scream a similar sentiment.
"RED ALERT!"
Ears lowered submissively, the youngling made his way to the car, climbing into the back seat in silence. "We have a lot to discuss when we get home," his carrier declared shortly, turning the key in the ignition.
Red Alert mumbled his acknowledgment, his optics fixed out the window miserably. Outside, Inferno raised an arm, waving widely to the doberman. On his face, lay a lopsided smile, attempting to share its cheer and fearlessness with the other autodog. The doberman wished it could. As the car rolled forward on the gravel, Red Alert lifted his own fingers in a shy wave, gaze locked onto the red youngling until both he and the house fell out of sight.
xxXxXxx
"I knew it!"
Servos grabbed Red Alert following the shout, pulling the youngling the rest of the way through the door of his home.
"See," Sideswipe continued to snarl, his fists curled tightly into Inferno's cardigan; shaking the smaller autodog as though he was trying to get him loose from the sweater. "I knew that backwater knucklehelm took him. He's been harassing Red Alert all year!"
"S-stoppit!," Red Alert shrieked, his antennae sparking brightly as he struggled to get away from his brother. Sideswipe's response was to hold his triplet higher, forcing the white youngling to dangle by the tips of his pedes, robbing him of his meager control and sending the poor autodog into a wild panic. "P-put me down! PUT ME DOWN!"
"Sideswipe, set him down," their sire spoke gruffly -a first for him. The mech didn't often interject in his sons' affairs. The black doberman did as ordered, his lip components twisted in a snarl as Red Alert scrambled to put some distance between himself and his brother.
"Sideswipe," their carrier snapped, coming in last, slamming the door behind her tail, "I will address your brother hanging out at that pup's house later. Right now, your father and I have bigger matters to take care of. Red Alert, go to the kitchen."
Red Alert hadn't even taken a step before Sideswipe was getting into the femme's face, hackles raised aggressively. "What do you mean 'bigger matters'?! That fragger clearly tricked Red Alert outside last night -he's too scared of his own intakes, like slag he'd be running out in the middle of the night of his own volition. If the moron could do that, he's probably done other weird slag to Red Alert too! But you're just gonna act like everything's okay, when he's wearing that bastard's fragging clothes?! Red, take that slagging sweater off already!"
Sideswipe turned to march towards his triplet, but their sire caught him by the arm before he could get any further; their carrier snatching the black youngling's cell from a pocket as she moved closer to the kitchen.
"Unacceptable! Sideswipe, you're grounded-"
"You're all just letting Red Alert be-"
"You do not talk to your mother that way, pup-"
"Frag off! I'm doing what none of you-"
"Language-!"
"Red Alert, I told you to get to the-"
"STOP!"
Silence descended on the tail of his shout. Unfortunately for Red Alert, it wasn't nearly as quiet. There was still a ringing in his helm that had grown louder and higher in frequency as his family devolved into snarling, vicious creatures, snapping at each other's throats. The terror of that had left the poor doberman trembling, but then they'd turned their vile attentions on the white doberman and his spark had kicked up into a whirling so fast, it felt as though a tornado were ripping its way through the chamber. He could no longer feel his spark's wild twisting, so overwhelmed by the agonizing jolts shooting out across his neural net and the mounting shrieking in his ears that was sending his vision to break repeatedly in disjointed bursts of chaotic colours. Red Alert grasped his face with clawed fingers, wishing he could just curl up and disappear entirely, as his intakes grew tighter and shorter within his chestplates.
Something shuffled, not too far away from the shaking youngling, and he flinched at the sound. "Red Alert, you need your medicine," came his carrier's vocalizer, "You're having a psychotic episode and-"
"No!" Clarity broke through the spiraling spell of destruction that gripped the doberman; unfolding himself to full height as an unnatural courage filled his energon lines. "No," he barked out a second time, taking a step back from his family as he glared at them individually. His pede hit the staircase landing and Red Alert paused, tensing as he glanced shortly between it and the others.
The femme took the opportunity to step forward once, expression pinched as she held out her servos in mock submissiveness. "Red Alert, something happened to you last night and we just wanted to make sure you're okay. We are your family and we love you. Now, please, let's go the kitchen and get your pills. You'll feel better once you-"
"I'm not taking those slagging pills!," Red Alert shouted, putting a pede up on the landing. Coolant was filling his optics but he kept them wide open and fixed on his family, determined not to allow them near him. "None of you actually care about me! You belittle me, undermine me and fill me with t-that poison! You're all happier when I'm d-drugged up and quiet. Well I won't take it anymore; I refuse. I-it's my life, not yours!"
"Red Alert!," Sideswipe bellowed.
But the white doberman was already racing up the staircase, throwing himself into his room and barricading the door before anyone could give chase.
C.M.D: Be kind; give me your mind~ REVIEW, please?