Sunstreaker's Charge ✔️

Ch. 62 On The Beach

Optimus Prime's P.O.V.
I was hoping to leave the base before Ironhide got back, but he returned just as I was leaving.
"Optimus, sir, we need to talk!"
"Later, Ironhide, I—."
"That psychopath is fooling them!"
"You realize that you're questioning my decision?" Ironhide quickly changes his attitude, worried he's disrespecting me, "I will go talk to them."
"Did you throw his aft in the brig?!" Lightning asks.
"No, I dislike Ironhide's attitude, but what's putting him or anyone else in the brig going to solve?"

I see Drift and Sunstreaker on the beach.
Lily is frightened seeing me even though I'm not angry. She hugs Sunstreaker tighter as I sit next to Sunstreaker. I try to assure Lily that I will keep the two safe and that Ironhide had no reason to scold her. This behavior will not be tolerated. I have Drift come with me.
"Sunstreaker is worried about the relationship falling apart and thinks ending it is better," Drift explains, "they're both tiring of challenge after challenge."
"I will talk to everyone again, but I fear it'll be a while before challenges like this end. I hope they'll think things are working out before Lily leaves for summer camp."
Crosshairs, Drift, and Lightning insist I wait until they return to talk to the others. I hope they can enjoy the rest of the camping trip.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
Lily won't relax even after what Optimus said.  Breaking her heart is just as bad as any physical injury I could give her, but I'm worried being together hurts her just as much. It's hard to think this could be temporary and we'll spend decades together.

The others come down to the beach and sit with us. Drift is sitting next to me. The four promising to protect us from anyone who wants to ruin things. I'm hoping that'll only mean arguing with Ironhide that I'm not looking to hurt anyone. I still worry this could blow up, and I cause a serious legal battle for all of us, with everything finally back to before the scrap in Chicago with the addition of Cybertron attached to Earth.
Sideswipe breaks the silence, suggesting that we go swimming. He and the others go back to the tents to get changed. Lily, lets go so we can take our shirts, shorts, socks, and shoes off. Lily didn't think I'd be wearing two pairs of shorts.
"I told you we'd be prepared," I smile and try to pick her up, "except for my pain relief, crud."
Sideswipe, I need my pain relief. It's in my bag. I tell him through the bond.
The pain is minor, but Lily is worried.
"I'll be ok."
I want to ignore this, but this time I can't, even if I wasn't picking Lily up, which, oddly, I like doing. I don't know if it's considered intimate, but it's something I can do without worrying about being questioned. This damn injury is in the right spot that I can't ignore.
I'm hoping the pain doesn't get worse before the pain relief kicks in.

The others return, carrying pool floats and a cooler. Then I realize it's an hour before noon.
"Here," Sideswipe hands me my pain relief and water. Lily goes with Lightning, "it's weird seeing you take pain relief."
"This fragging hurts when picking her up. I don't think I could ignore it if I wasn't picking her up. Though if you're feeling pain no matter where my injury is."
"You sure we can wait until she's eighteen to tell her?"
"Maybe when she's sixteen. That's still four years, but at least we won't be in trouble if she thinks about fragging."
"You waiting to frag her is another surprise."
"I don't think we can keep it secret even if we use protection."
"You think she has a big mouth? Owe, hey!"
"No, she's terrified things will fall apart. She'll keep quiet, but being bonded will be something else she'll have to learn about, and I think being able to talk to Ratchet will help her. If we're still together by the time she's sixteen."
Are you going to break up with her? Sideswipe asks through the bond to avoid Lily hearing us.
I don't know. It seems better for her, but I know I'd be breaking her heart. I love her, but the risk is that we could end up in so much trouble.
We end the conversation for now and join the others in the water.

Lily's P.O.V.
Drift inflated three inner tubes for now. Lightning and I take two of them. Both try not to worry about why Crosshairs and Drift aren't getting in the water. We can tell they're talking. For all I know, Lightning has been told not to tell me anything about Jamie. I remember Crosshairs asking if Luke was looking for Jamie the first day he brought me to the base. Did plans change? It's getting harder to ignore how I'm not allowed to know about Jamie. I hope it'll be the same as Sunstreaker, minus falling in love with her. I was told to stay away from Sunstreaker, and now look at where we are.
Unless it's easier to keep Jamie from coming to the base, so that's what Crosshairs and Drift will do. I know I should be more concerned about how everyone is avoiding me and hates how I'm friends with Sunstreaker. I don't think everyone knows we're together. 

Sunstreaker wants to go paddle boarding to a small island with me. He pulls me back to the beach by the paddle board before putting a backpack on his back.
"You dummies forgot the life jackets!" Lightning comments.
"Do we have to?" Sideswipe sulks.
"She's right, even if this is a lake," Drift points out.
Even with this error, Sunstreaker decides we're still going to the island. I think he's considering this a date. Probably foolish since neither of us have been on a paddleboard. I think the Autobots can deactivate their holoforms; so lucky, Sunstreaker, but not so lucky for me.