CHAPTER 43
Threats and Decisions
After shooting up a thousand blown up pictures of Coulton, Hound had only been somewhat relaxed. It had taken much more than that to calm him down, even if satisfaction wasn't coming for a little while. Hound was spending time with Mark, who had returned from hanging out with Alexis when his little antics exploded. "WHO THE HELL DID IT?" Mark jumped out of his skin as Coulton's voice filled the rec room. "First I find my computer crashed," Mark chuckled knowingly, turning away from the movie that was playing on TV at that. "I swear to God, when I find out, I'll skin the person alive! Can you skin a robot alive?"
Lennox, who was seated on the couch nearby Mark and Hound, stood up. His eyes scanned over Coulton, who looked to be disheveled, covered in multiple paints and feathers, and angry beyond words. "What happened to you?" Lennox asked, trying to control his obvious stifled laughter. "I would go get Sideswipe for Prime to lecture right now. But he went on a scouting mission after he came back with Mark," He managed. "So I'm going to take a guess and say it wasn't his handywork."
"You want to know what happened," Mark noticed as Coulton began an almost psychotic laugh. "I opened my on-base desk in my private office to a paint bomb. I opened my locker, looking for a towel... And was covered in feathers," Mark covered his mouth, and tried his best not to laugh. "And I just found my private car welded to the CEILING," Lennox shook his head, looking to be holding back his own laughter. "I'm glad you find this funny, colonel."
Lennox quickly controlled himself, and grew more serious. It was hard not to know who had done it. Especially given how Hound was pretending to just focus on the movie he had only been mildly interested in ten minutes ago. "Coulton, I think you need to calm down," Lennox offered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go and get Optimus to help get your car off the roof. I'm sure he'll handle whoever did this to your car."
Coulton glared, his teeth gritting. "Don't talk to me like I'm a little child colonel," Coulton brushed past Lennox, who rolled his eyes. "I bet it was you, wasn't it Hound? You never did like me," He growled.
"You'll find most of the Autobots don't," Hound snorted quietly, standing to his feet. "The fact you immediately go to me amazes me. Would I really do something so childish?" He questioned as he put his hands on his hips. "Perhaps someone else that was tired of the way you treat people on this base-."
"Oh please, it's your son I piss off most," Mark tensed a little as Coulton glared daggers in his direction. "I'm sorry if I've offended your little feelings so much you had to sick your so-called "daddy" on me." He told the boy mockingly.
Hound wanted to kick the man right there. But he kept himself calm, taking a deep intake of breath. He crossed his arms, and straightened up, his optics leering down at him. "Mark was nowhere near the base until two hours ago. He had no time to plan something so elaborate," Hound told him rather bluntly. "You can throw accusations at me all you want. But do not take this out on him. Primus knows you do that enough already."
Coulton sneered, and pulled the sunglasses he had off of his face. The look in his eyes spoke volumes, he didn't care, this was just another chance he had to belittle them. "You must think you're really clever. Not having even the tiniest metal balls to attack me head on," Coulton told him with a loud shout. "So instead hiding behind pranks and whispers like a coward," He added. "It'd be a real shame if something happened to the boy because of your attitude."
That did it, and Coulton was about to wish that he hadn't said a word. Hound's engines flared up, removing a gun, and getting up close as Lennox came between them. "Did you just threaten my youngling!?" Hound shouted, his voice dangerously loud and angry. "David Coulton, you have no idea how dangerous the ground you're treading on is." He added with the lowest snarl Mark had heard from him. "If anything happens to my son and I find out you had anything to do with it-."
"Hound! Hound! Buddy," Lennox shouted, trying to get his attention. "You need to stop! If you even shoot at his feet he can have you hauled off," Hound didn't stop gritting his denta even for a second. "Hey, hey, Hound, put the gun down," He stared at Coulton, with a glare of his own. "You really think that was smart? Pissing off a giant robot by threatening his kid?"
"He's not even his kid," Coulton laughed. "He's just a foster brat that he picked up out of the trash. A freak of nature who had a nutjob for a father, and frankly doesn't belong on this base." Mark felt his stomach turn in knots at that. "And I know I'm not the only one who thinks that. Are you going to shoot all of them too, Clint Eastwood?"
Hound took another step forward, making sure not to step on Lennox. "Alright, alright," Lennox shoved Coulton back at that. "He tried to tell you his way, now I'm going to tell you mine," He told him, sizing up the shorter man. "Shut the hell up and walk out that door. If you threaten him again, you'll have General Moreshower to answer to."
"Are you threatening ME now, colonel?"
"No sir. I think he took care of that already." Lennox commented as he pointed up at Hound. "He's the one with the giant guns aimed at you. And something tells me that he has a damn good reason to use them," He then added. "And me? I just don't take too kindly to someone who thinks it's okay to go around threatening kids."
Coulton looked between Lennox and Hound for a moment, grimacing. But slowly, surely, he moved towards the door, and out of it. Lennox tensed as he looked over at Mark. "You don't really think he'd try to hurt me, do you?" He asked them both with a look of fear in his eyes. "I mean he can't actually do that. If he did social services WOULD take the boy away." He sneered.
"Over my offlined chassis," Hound growled.
As Coulton stalked away, Lennox shook his head, bringing his cell phone from his front pocket. The look on his face said it all: he didn't like this at all either. "I'm calling General Moreshower right now," He told him rather bluntly. "I've had enough of this guy. And frankly, that sounds like warning bells all over." He stared over at Mark, then at Hound. "Hound, let Mark bunk with you for the night. After the Attinger incident, I'm not taking government threats lightly."
Hound nodded, crouching low and picking his foster son up. "Come on, kiddo," Hound told him quietly. "We'll finish the movie another night."
Mark hoped this fear would be for nothing.
...
Hound's berth was soft and comfortable, especially with the giant blanket wrapped around him. Mark found adjusting to resting against a massive, titan-sized pillow rather difficult, but had managed to do his best. He felt much safer with Hound beside him after the threat. It was like sleeping alongside a guardian angel, and more importantly, alongside someone who would never let anyone hurt him. Yet still, around three in the morning, Mark opened his eyes and grunted, turning his head to see that Hound was now out of the berth and seated at a desk nearby.
Mark groaned, and turned over onto his side slightly, barely getting the attention of the mech. His blue optics lit up the room a little, given its darkness, but he quickly stood to his feet. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," Hound commented, looking down at him. "I was just trying to calm myself down, I could barely recharge after what happened."
Mark shifted a little bit, shaking his head in response. "It's okay, I was just... I'm having a little trouble sleeping," Mark muttered, sitting up slowly. "I don't know why it is, but Coulton... Scares me sometimes," Mark rubbed the top of his knees slowly. "And when he reminded me that this isn't... Totally real. It hurt," Hound frowned a bit, seating himself on his berth "I mean I get I'm just a foster kid..."
"That doesn't matter," Hound insisted gently.
Mark shook his head and shrugged, rubbing his eyes with the back of his pajama sleeve. He hated to admit that some days he didn't feel like it was, but he did. He had those feelings that he still wasn't really Hound's son. There were no legal documents that listed him as his legal son, only the documents they had Hound filled out to foster him. "Right," Mark replied quietly, trying his best to lie with a straight face. "I know..."
Hound looked down at the boy, revving his engine lightly. He reached out a large metal finger and stroked the side of his face. "Mark," Mark was silent even as the voice spoke up. "Markus," The use of his full first name got his attention, and caught him off-guard. "Do you want me to adopt you?" He questioned as gently as he could.
Mark thought over the question quietly, unsure of how to properly answer. He hadn't even fairly thought about it up until a week or two ago, and now, the question had been asked. It was a question that weighed heavily on his mind, did he really want to legally have no more ties to the "Savoy" family? Was he ready for that? "I don't know," He admitted quietly. "I'm a little scared to be, to be honest," His eyes traveled up to look into Hound's deep blue optics. "I feel like I'm giving up a part of myself."
Hound nodded his head in understanding, looking down at him. "You are, in a way," Hound admitted, his optics gazing off towards the wall. "Adoption means much more than a piece of paper. It binds you to a family through the legal system. Family can be whatever you chose it to be," He mused. "But adoption means that the government has chosen it to be your family too."
"I guess you'd know," Mark admitted. "Sometimes I forget you were adopted too."
Hound nodded absently, leaning back and staring at Mark. "I also know that I love you, Mark," Hound told him very calmly. "And whether you want to be adopted should be your choice. If you want to be, you can be," He explained patiently. "And if not, then I will still be your family. You'll still be my son, and I'll still be your father," He then added very bluntly. "Nothing can ever change that."
Mark nodded his head, resting his head back against the large pillow. He knew that was true, in fact he was positive it was. "I want you to adopt me," Mark finally spoke, to which Hound's optics twinkled. "But only after we know I'm safe, after this huge attack by the 'Cons is over. When we know things are okay, at least for a little while..." He explained, his voice firm. "I know that's probably the best time to do it. You have enough stress weighing on you as it is."
For a moment, Hound looked uncertain. As if waiting that long seemed stupid to him. But of course, he knew that Mark made a very good point. They had enough on their mind as of right now, and working through the adoption did not need to be one of them. When things had calmed, he would be better prepared mentally to handle the situation, and so would Mark. "Very well, after things have finally settled down," Hound rubbed Mark's back a little. "We will go to Dana together, and tell her our decision."
"Alright," Mark yawned quietly as he spoke, snuggling deep into the berth.
"Go back to sleep, Mark. No one is going to hurt you," Hound told him gently.
After several moments, Mark nodded, and began to close his eyes, which were quickly growing heavier. "Goodnight, dad."
"Goodnight, my precious one."
Hound quickly realized that that had been the first time that he had said those words. At least, it had been the first time since Coldsteel had died. But even so, he felt a smile cross over his lips, and he sighed quietly. He could only hope that this pact would last, so that he may be able to say that without the fear that still loomed over his head. Because if he lost him before he properly had the chance to make him his, he didn't know what he'd do anymore.