Sunstreaker's Charge ✔️

Ch. 53 Threats

Lily's P.O.V.
I look at Sunstreaker lying in the other bed, wondering if we'd be in trouble for sleeping together even though we're wearing clothes. This could be an easy no, but.  I know Optimus wants to follow Earth's laws, and if even sleeping together clothed is considered a sexual act...
Ugh! It's fine asking my parents, but to ask Optimus would be awkward. Sure enough, my mom is texting me about bedtime.
Lexie: I know it's weird, but did you two sleep together?
Lily: no, that's also under the age of consent bullshit. Apparently, sleep is sexual in a relationship; WTF?
Lexie: well, my dear, you need to understand that first.
Crud, was my mom about to tell me it's fine as long as clothes are on? I'm so stupid. She wouldn't ask before telling me I better not sleep with Sunstreaker. I know calling these rules stupid would not be good.
"What's wrong?" Sunstreaker asks.
"I don't want to talk about it."
He sits on the bed and hugs me.
"Don't worry about it. I don't care if sleeping in the same bed is part of that rule. It sucks, but I love you. I think four years will fly by. Unless you want to use sleeping bags in bed."
I can't help but laugh. 

The plan for the afternoon is to head to the spot Sunstreaker knows about at four and set up. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to work out yet. I love watching Sunday work out. First, we get breakfast.  I'm a little bummed our friends will not be with us. I'm used to hanging out with friends and need to get used to being alone on dates with Sunstreaker. We'll get a good balance soon. I give up trying to hang out with the others. It sucks no one else approves of this relationship. Like they think Sunstreaker isn't allowed to be happy.

"Why do you spend so much time with Sunstreaker?" A male soldier asks as I wait for Sunstreaker by the training room.
"What he's done... This doesn't make him a monster. He isn't a monster. He's hurt—."
"How stupid are you, kid! Do you know how many humans he's killed?! Maybe he needs to learn how it hurts to lose someone he cares about!"
Before he can do anything, Sunstreaker punches him.
"Get the frag away from her!" Sunstreaker rages.
The guy runs down the hall as Sunstreaker crouches and looks for any injury.
"You're ok, but I don't want you alone if that's how soldiers are going to act," Sunstreaker explains.
I nod, and he takes my hand.

I sit on the floor by the wall closest to Sunstreaker and watch him work out, hoping I can soon join him. Sideswipe rushes in, worried.
"What?" Sunstreaker asks while stretching.
"You being angry."
"Stupid fleshie threatening her! I don't want to ensure she's guarded, but this is a problem. Optimus won't believe me."
Sunstreaker's voice changed from furious to sad with that last sentence.
"There's a security camera by here. I'll see what I can do."
Sideswipe leaves the room.
"Never mind, Lily, let's go watch TV."
That's not like Sunstreaker at all.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I should have seen this as a problem, but I guess I was being too selfish. Worries about soldiers thinking I'm getting soft. I don't want to be controlling and tell Lily to stay away from the soldiers, but that's how it will look to the others rather than protecting her.
Lily sits on my lap and leans on me. I wrap my arms around her. I worry about what she's thinking. Is knowing my history and what happened scaring her? I should kill that scumbag, but we're going on our camping trip this afternoon.
An hour passes before Crosshairs and Drift tell me Optimus wants to talk to me. I hate how Lily is scared. Why not create another problem?

Sideswipe had Red Alert pull up the security footage to see the soldier approaching Lily and threatening her. He has been identified and will be dealt with. However, it's not an issue that will cause termination. I'm not sure if I can deal with this without Lily knowing. That fragger is lucky for now.

"...you stay away from my sister, or I will ensure you don't bother anyone again!" I hear Luke as I walk past a hallway. He holds the soldier by the neck, a few inches off the floor.
Luke releases the soldier as I walk down the hall toward him.
"Let me deal with him before you get in trouble," I insist, "they already think I'm looking to kill that scumbag."
"Are you?"
"Lily knows I'm considering it," I sigh, "I don't want to ruin our camping trip. I failed to see this problem. She's a target just being my friend —."
"We'll deal with it. Optimus knows what happened, right?" Luke asks; I nod, "then likely Lennox as well. He'll warn everyone, making it easier to deal with scumbags. Still, dead would be better."
I couldn't believe Luke said that.
"I'll deal with them. You'll get in so much trouble if caught."
"You still have to be careful. This is risky. Your ass could be sent to Cybertron, and Lily would be crushed."
"I guess Lily will learn to fight early. I know, a big difference between self-defense and fighting in a war."
Luke agrees and says he'll talk to his parents. I didn't think he'd add how Lily should be armed, but not with a gun. A pocket knife should be enough. 

The rest of the morning is spent watching T.V. After lunch, Lily and I work on a painting until three before packing up for the weekend. Lily is questioning if I'll leave in the middle of the night to deal with the soldier. It's doable, but I swore to protect her from this. I'm hoping she'll lose the idea I'm going to kill so I can without her knowing rather than that scumbag is spared.
"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Lily asks.
I don't know what to say. Lily sighs and goes into the bathroom. 
This is why I didn't want her to know.

Sideswipe's P.O.V.
It's concerning seeing Sunstreaker rush into the room and the bathroom to throw up.

Ratchet believes Sunstreaker is terrified to screw up because someone other than his brother loves him. Ratchet also thinks centuries of being a psychopathic killer isn't helping. As Ratchet puts it, rather than being confused like Lily, Sunstreaker hates how dating a human or even caring about one makes him m look soft. I can feel Sunstreaker wants to protect Lily but doesn't want to — as he'd say — stop punishing humans. Ratchet and Rung are already helping him. All we can do is wait for the therapy to work. I think Sunstreaker needs a stronger dose of the medication Ratchet gave him. The bottle is on his nightstand. I'm going to talk to Ratchet, hoping he'll help me.
"A little increase," Ratchet agrees, "I'd rather not give him the max dose because I suspect he'll be on this for a while. Hopefully, I don't have to cut him off. I hate doing that."
"I understand."
I take the new bottle and rush back to my room.

Sunstreaker thought he had misplaced the bottle. However, he questions how this is a perfect opportunity to give him the new bottle without him knowing and leave the room. 

I watch Lily and Sunstreaker walk down the hall towards their art room, hating how things seem perfect for a few hours before scrap turns up again.

Crosshairs, Drift, and Lightning also worry about what happened today.
"Still don't trust that he won't hurt her," Lightning comments, "but this is a problem."
"So you want me to stock him?" Mirage asks before his holoform appears.
"I hate when you do that!" I scold.
"Uh, well, to add to the problem, I'm concerned this guy is going to see the camping trip as an opportunity to hurt Lily and make it look like Sunstreaker did it," Drift admits.
"So, are we camping close to them?" Crosshairs asks.
"No, I could be wrong, and I hope I am. Mirage can stalk the soldier."
We plan just in case Drift is right, including preparing to argue about this soldier with Optimus and Prowl. Hoping we can argue Sunstreaker was protecting Lily, should he kill the soldier.