Runaway

Chapter Six - Strained Relations

The blue and black youngling trudged into the living room and stood dejectedly in front of the femme seated on the couch.

"Carrier, why does Blurr have to go away to school?" the six-vorn-old asked sadly.

His carrier looked up from the datapad she'd been working on. Seeing her youngest's tearful faceplate, she set it aside.

"Oh, darling," Harmony murmured, reaching to pull her little one into her lap. "Blurr won't be gone forever. He'll still come home."

Steeldust snuggled into his carrier's embrace. "But I'll miss him. I don't want him to go!"

"I know, Sweetspark. I know." Harmony bit her lip, looking down at Steeldust. "I don't want him to go either, I'll miss him too."

"Then why does he have to go? If he goes, then I'll be all alone and we won't be able to play anymore!"

"Steeldust, Blurr can get a better education in Iacon. It is what is best for him right now. And Ah promise, he'll come back for visits.

"He's not leaving forever. And no matter what, he'll still love you. He's your big brother."

Steeldust sniffed. "Okay."

Harmony gave him another hug, then tilted his chin to make him look up at her.

"There, there, it'll be alright," she said with a sad smile. "We'll just wait for him together, right?"

The six-vorn-old nodded, wiping his tears away. "Yes, Carrier."

///

Steeldust woke up, tears rolling down his faceplate.

"Carrier was wrong."

Blurr had stopped caring about him.

Blurr didn't love him. Not anymore.

Squeezing his optics shut, Steeldust tried to stop the memories that flooded his processor.

Memories of him and Blurr playing together.

Memories of outings with him and their creators.

Memories of back when he was little and when their family was happy.

Memories of when their creators were still-

Steeldust gulped in vents of air, trying to get a hold of himself.

He couldn't panic, not now.

He had to move on. He had to shove the memories away, back into the corner of his processor where he wouldn't think about them.

"But how-" he thought, wiping his faceplate.

"I wish I didn't dream of how it used to be. I wish I didn't remember- "

A knock on his door jerked him from his thoughts.

"Steeldust?" Swindle's voice came through from the other side. "Are you awake? We need to leave soon."

"Yes, sir," Steeldust said hurriedly, wiping his faceplate again as he stood. "I'm coming!"

The nine-vorn-old opened the door, looking up at the orange and purple mech.

Swindle frowned. "Are you alright? You look upset."

Steeldust shook his helm, putting on a neutral face. "I'm fine. It's nothing."