Transformers: A Matter of Fate

GRIEF AND A CONFESSION

"It's alright, Mark." Hound stated calmly "You're hurting... And the fact he did horrible things does not help."

Mark shook his head, and looked up at Hound. "I just want him to go back to being the dad that I lived with and not this... Jerk everyone talks about." Mark replied "I don't want to hear the terrible things they say about him. Because the more I hear, the more I hate him... The more..." He paused a moment "And then he talks about you the same way, like you're brainwashing me. It just..." He paused "It just sucks."

Hound stared at his foster son for a long moment, gently rubbing his back some more. He knew that this wasn't going to be an easy life for Mark, and now was just one of many moments representing that which were sure to come. But someday, he prayed to Primus that perhaps the boy could come to peace about his father, what people said about the man, and what people said about him. "What they say shouldn't matter. Only what you say does." He put his hands on his holoform's knees "And as for what he says about me, you let me worry about that." He noted "That's not your fight." He paused a moment "Now... I think it's time you got some sleep, maybe it'll help to clear your head."

"Yeah..." Mark whispered as he climbed under the blankets.

Hound carefully moved the blankets over him, and tucked them gently under his chin. For a moment, he sat beside him with a gentle look in his holoform's eyes, and then he stood, and ran a hand along his hair. "Sleep tight, Mark." He told him calmly "Tomorrow will be a better day, I promise."

As he walked out of the room, he could only hope he was right.

...

"He has no right to say such things."

Hound was almost stunned at Crosshairs reaction to the story the next morning. Hound had already dropped Mark off at school, and soon after, his friend met him in the mess hall for a morning energon. But as he now looked at the half-shattered cube that Crosshairs held, he nearly regretted it. "I thought you held contempt over Mark's father yourself?" Hound questioned "Why do you care what he says?"

"Because!" Crosshairs snapped "I like the little bugger, okay? He's grown on me as much as I wish he hadn't... And what that man said to him." He fumed slightly, his engines revving in obvious anger "I never told the boy that his father was in hell. And I slagging well never would." He shook his head "What kind of sparkless fragger thinks it's okay to hurt a child like that?"

Hound shifted a bit, shuddering a bit. He'd hate to be Coulton now if he was ever in the same room as Crosshairs, as he had the feeling the mech might not be as calm as he was. "I'm just as angry as you are. I nearly shot him on the spot." Hound removed his "cigar" from his mouth slightly "After how crushed Mark was last night, I wish I had."

"We really should tell the president."

Hound shook his head slightly, sipping his energon. "If we did that, we wouldn't have much to get him fired by." Hound explained "You and I both know that unless this man tries anything truly despicable, he won't get fired." He explained "I'm waiting for him to say the wrong thing to the wrong person. Hopefully then we can punt him out of the base."

Crosshairs leaned forward, and took another sip of his energon. Hound noticed the tension that seemed to fill the mech, and silently wondered if Mark was even aware that the mech had come to care so much. "When did you start caring so much, anyway?" He asked politely "After you fought me nearly every step of the way..." He added.

Crosshairs was silent for a long time, but his optics eventually trailed over. "After Cyclonus attacked... I noticed how... Worried I was about him." Crosshairs explained "I may not agree taking him in was the best idea. But it's somewhat built as he's been back in my presence." He then added "He's not that bad a young human, he's nothing like his father. Which frankly, is a blessing."

"He reminds you of yourself, doesn't he?"

"No comment."

Hound smirked, though in some ways, he did see the similarities. Crosshairs took a deep breath as he finished his somewhat broken cube, setting it on the table in front of him. "Fine..." Crosshairs muttered "Maybe a little, with his sarcasm, and his stubbornness." Crosshairs looked at Hound half-expectedly "I remember back when I was the equivalent of his age, many read me wrong..." He shook his head "And I did the same thing as an adult."

Hound smirked, sipping his energon slightly. "I never thought I'd see you admit that you were wrong." Hound joked, earning a slug in return "It doesn't hurt to show ye care once in a while, Crosshairs, you do know that, right?" The mech's next response was a middle finger "Fine, of course no one should know you have an actual spark in that chamber of yours."

"I have my reputation as a hard aft to uphold." Crosshairs replied dryly "I like my reputation."

"I have the same reputation."

"You also have the reputation of being a giant "teddy bear"."

That time, it was Hound's turn to slug Crosshairs. Though he knew it was more than true, he had the reputation alongside the late Ironhide as being the softest "tough" mech around. In some ways it was a blessing, as younglings didn't fear him. But in others, like now, it made him the open target for much teasing. "It's a good thing he needs a tough "teddy bear"." Hound snorted a bit "And there isn't anything wrong with being that way, I'll have ye know."

"I never said there was." Crosshairs stood to his feet "I have some reports I still need to file before we head to Europe." He told him "You gonna be able to hold up okay while I'm gone?" He teased.

"I'll manage." Hound replied "Get to work you smart-aft."

Hound silently watched his friend leave with a inward sigh. It was good to know that the mech cared about Mark as much as he did, at least to an extent. Because if he ever was given reason to worry about this "Coulton" fellow, he had a feeling they were going to need all the support they could get.