The Hour Of The Innocent

Cruel

{Running Out Of Tomorrows →Transformers: The Last Knight (1:20)} 

Steam rose from a small teacup as a slight breeze rustled in the trees outside an open window. The sunlight of a new day poured out from behind the early morning clouds as laughter was heard just beyond the white wooden frame.

"Can I get you anything else sir?"

The question hung in the air like the sunlight itself as Sir Edmund looked out his study window at a girl laughing in the front lawn. A dog ran about her feet as she waved a stick back and forth, much to the animals delight. A small smile curled his lips as he let a dry chuckle fall out of his throat.

"Do you think me cruel, Cogman, for what I've done?" 

His aged blue eyes looked from the window to the butler bot standing before him, teapot in hand. The question was asked with a slight bit of pain, as Sir Edmund awaited his only friends' recognition.

The bot straightened up and cleared his throat, his hand moving from his "mouth" to being directed in Edmund's direction.

"Well sir, if you look past the fact that we, in essence, stole a girl from her family and are now raising her as our own, while still allowing her true family to believe she's very much dead, I don't think it's terribly cruel."

The laughter continued as Cogman finished his "comforting" words, and Sir Edmund turned back to the window. 

"Whatever would I do without your kind words." He spoke in a sarcastic tone; something Cogman did not pick up on. 

"I often wonder that myself m'lord."

His footsteps faded into the background as he left with the teapot in hand. The girls exclaim of joy brought the old man back to the window as a car's engine was heard on the approach. An old poor-man's punch buggy made it halfway up the drive before transforming into a very familiar Autobot.

"Hot Rod!"

The girl beamed as she ran across the grass and into the open arms of the French bot who greeted her with a shout. 

"My little lady!" He proclaimed as she wrapped her arms around his face in the best hug they could both manage. 

"I thought you were Vivian's "car"?" She asked pulling away from the embrace.

Hot Rod laughed a deep throaty laugh, "Ah yes! But mon amie, she is away on a trip for her work! Leaving me no other choice but to see how my favorite human is holding up!"

The dog near the two barked up at Sir Edmund in the window and both girl and bot turned to catch his gaze. The girl waved at him with a smile, and he returned the gesture with contentment.

"You promised you'd finish the World War Two story the next time I saw you, and I've been waiting. I want to hear what Bee did." The h/c stated as she turned back to Hot Rod. HE smiled and both Y/n and Sir Edmund watched as the bot transformed. The door then opened as the engine revved.

"Shall we go for a drive?" He asked with a chuckle in his voice.

Sir Edmund watched from his study window as the now grown girl climbed into the driver's seat of the Autobot, and sped off with him down the gravel path.

A solemn smile etched itself on his face as he sighed.

"Not so terribly cruel after all."