Sunstreaker's Charge ✔️

Ch. 67 One Last Date

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
Ratchet tells me it's good for Lily to walk, but he wants to start slow. There's a hangar close to the medbay. Mirage is still enjoying helping me with these dates. Though I wasn't considering tonight a date since Lily is recovering from surgery, Mirage argues this can still be considered a date. I still can't believe he wants to help, but I doubt he's not worried Lily is making a mistake and could end up dead. I tell him about Lily's behavior and how our time together until she goes to camp was cut in half. I don't tell him how Lily ignored her pain until it was unbearable.
"... this was Optimus' idea," I explain, "but I'm not forbidden from going to Lily's house. She's the only one uncertain."
"But I doubt you'd be allowed to go to her house daily," Mirage points out, "which is wise. I don't know if I can help her learn to balance spending time with her friend and boyfriend until she's ready for you two to meet."
I can only smile hearing Mirage say 'boyfriend', but I'm also reminded of how most Autobots avoid Lily. Even if she's accepted that I want to change that. We'll have to wait now.

Mirage accompanies me to the medbay - though I said Lily is asleep-even Ratchet questions why he came with me.
We don't wait long for Lily to wake up but have a good talk within that time. Lily smiles, seeing I'm still here and that Mirage is with me. Mirage doesn't stay long before going to cook dinner for Lily and I. Ratchet comes to check Lily's incision as he planned two hours ago. He has Lily sit up, raising the head of the bed, and tells her he wants her to walk. I didn't know he put a catheter in until he said Jasmine will remove it. Lily can change out of the standard hospital gown. I get some clothes while Jasmine does what she needs.

Lily's P.O.V.
I thought Sunstreaker would bring down my dress, but he brought jeans, a black tank top, socks, and shoes. Sunstreaker waits in the hallway with our sketchbooks and pencil box.
"You do need to walk to prevent complications, but Ratchet says our art room is too far right now," he explains.
I don't understand why walking to our art room is too far, but I'm not a medic. This just makes it impossible to do a piece together.

Mirage texts Sunstreaker when he's ready for us to go to the hangar. Shame we can't leave everything set up in the hangar. It's one of the smaller ones, but still used.
The infusion is finished, and I can be disconnected from the pump.
Sunstreaker has me told on to his arm as we walk down the hall. The three medics don't say anything about this.

"Since we can't get to our art room, I brought supplies in here," Sunstreaker says as I notice our supplies in the hangar and the setup for dinner.
While Sunstreaker hopes we'll be here for a few hours, I know he's worried about my pain. I doubt we'll be working on a piece for long after dinner.
Mirage made chicken this time. I have to wonder if he asks Luke for suggestions after Sunstreaker tells him he's looking to plan another date. I never know what to talk about. I can't tell if Sunstreaker wants to talk about Cybertron or the war. I think his life before the war is not to be brought up.

"Now, what should we paint?" Sunstreaker asks after setting everything up. I'm distracted thinking how many more paintings we are going to be able to finish before the end of the month, "Lily, we'll figure it out. No fragging way I'm waiting until the first school vacation to see you. Unfortunately, we have no choice but to wait a few months before figuring something out," he hugs me and suggests painting the woods, but not our camping spot as before.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I worry about how Lily is going to be come July. Even if I'm allowed to stay in contact with her. Though I don't know if they can help, I inform Drift and Rung before working on the painting with Lily. Hopefully, we'll get the lines done before she needs to go back to the medbay for pain relief.

I didn't think we'd be interrupted by Drift and Rung a couple of hours later. Did they seriously talk about this problem for two hours? They say what I told Lily, with the addition of Rung talking to Lily's family.
Rung has me stay behind while Drift takes Lily back to the medbay, which worries her.
"I find it odd you're ok with what Optimus and Lily's parents decided," Rung comments.
"I'm not pleased with the decision, especially with the unknown once Lily is back in school, but if I don't agree, I'll be considered possessive. While I worry she's ignoring her friend, I wonder if this is how they're changing their mind. That my sire is right."
"I don't think so. Lily's behavior is concerning, and I believe this will help her figure out how to be with you and her friend. Maybe she'll let you meet, but she's worried about blowing the secret."

Lily and I watch a movie in the lounge room, but we're cutting it close to when the pain relief will wear off. I hope we can start a new infusion before she's in pain. Hopefully, we can make this routine and manage her pain.
As for my pain, it's better, but I've yet to be cleared for workouts and definitely not picking up Lily. Ratchet will be pissed seeing me carrying Lily to bed, even if I'm not currently in pain.

None of the medics are around. My pain is returning, but I can ignore it. Drift is waiting for me so he can start an infusion. He says nothing, but I know he's worried about my pain. Lily is in comfortable clothes. I don't have to worry about changing her clothes. I hope she'll be discharged tomorrow. I do not like going back to my temporary room without her. Once a new infusion is started, Drift and I go to our rooms.

The pain quickly intensifies by the time I get to my room. I take my pain relief and lay on the bed.
Sunstreaker, are you ok? Sideswipe asks.
I didn't take more pain relief when I should have. I'm still dealing with pain that's hard to ignore, but I chose to carry Lily back to the medbay.
Sideswipe worries I did more harm than intense pain, but my incision healed. He says he feels slight pain, which is better than what I'm feeling. Glad we don't feel pain after either of us reaches a certain point in our recovery.
It's a challenge to get comfortable to sleep until the pain relief kicks in.