Chapter Text
In space, where there wasn't any sign of the passing of nature’s seasons, it could be hard to tell what time of the year it actually was. You may have relied on your computer and adorable puppy calendar a little too much. As you now traveled with the infamous and feared Decepticon Justice Division, you had lost access to both of them. Every day was a new day, oblivious to whether it was your birthday or Easter... but sometimes the guys gave you hints and signs of the happenings on your home planet. It wasn't that time. Yet.
"Uh, Tess?" You looked at the giant mech standing in front of the door of your habsuite.
Tesaurus was watching you, or at least you thought he was - you could never really tell with that huge “X” across his face. He nodded his helm, silently telling you to continue.
"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be chasing some poor traitor with the others?"
"They didn't need me to join this one. Got me another task," he said.
You tilted your head. "What, staring at me?"
"That, and keeping you here included," he replied.
You frowned. "Tess, no offense, but I'm not a kid. You can't just lock me in my habsuite when I have done something bad."
"Orders are orders, and Tarn ordered me to keep you here," Tesaurus said as he crossed his arms over his huge blender chest.
You raised a brow at him, and copied him by crossing your arms over your chest. "I presume there isn't a way for me to persuade you to let me out?"
"Why are you so keen to get out?"
You shrugged. "I don't know. Why are you so keen on keeping me here?"
"As I said just a moment ago - Tarn ordered me to keep you out of the way."
"Out of the way? You mean they have someone captive here on the Peaceful Tyranny?"
"I never said that."
"But you implied it!"
"Look, just-!" Tesaurus rubbed the huge red 'X' on his faceplate in frustration - his temper was being tested. "Just wait here until Tarn gives us permission to leave!"
"Tess, I have been with you guys for a long while. So whatever Tarn has planned, or is doing right now doesn't startle me anymore." You paused before you grinned like a Cheshire cat. "So, no reason to keep me here!" You bolted when you finished your sentence.
Tesaurus reached down to catch you, but you avoided his huge servos. You slipped between his legs, and ran to the door. You quickly placed the palm of your hand against the scanner, and the door shifted aside. You ran out just as Tesaurus tried to pick you up again. You took the route towards the main hall where most of the action took place. Tesaurus was quickly catching up with you, but he couldn’t run too fast in fear that he might squish you. You know, like chasing a hamster? You saw the doorway to the main hall and burst in.
"Made it!" You yelled as you entered the room.
Tarn and the others froze when they saw you. You were grinning like you had just finished a marathon. You were so full of adrenaline that you didn't immediately notice your surroundings. When you caught your breath, you looked around the main hall in awe.
There were glowing garlands hanging from the ceiling and walls, accented by different colored orbs - bright blue, yellow, and red balls that created a beautiful glow. You turned to look at Tarn, Helex, Kaon, Vos, and Nickel, who were still frozen where they stood.
"What's all this?" You asked.
The mechs glanced at each other before Tarn turned to glare at Tesaurus, who was standing behind you awkwardly.
"Which part of ‘Keep them away’ did you not understand?”
"I'm sorry, Tarn, but they just wouldn't stay!" Tess defended himself.
You nodded. "Yeah, Tarn. He tried, but you know me. I'm unstoppable." You smiled, and looked around. "So, what is all of this?"
"They're decorations," Helex said.
You looked at him. "For what? Did you catch a high-profile traitor, and now you want to celebrate?"
"Almost," Nickel said as she rolled her optics. "They're for you."
"For me?" You blinked. "Wha- What for?"
Tarn cleared his intake, and looked at you tenderly for someone that had killed countless mechs for countless years. "It's that time of the year when your disgusting planet's residents celebrate the snowfall, the fat bearded human who brings gifts for well-behaved youngsters, and the anointed human sparkling who was born on the 25th day."
"You mean Christmas?"
Helex snapped the metal digits of his smaller pair of servos. "That's it! Christmas!"
"Oh, you guys shouldn't have...!" You squealed in glee. You turned to look at Kaon, who had been quiet so far. "What are those sashes, like some kind of space decoration? Did you dip them into some kind of juice to make them glow?"
"Almost." The blind mech smiled and showed you the sash he held in his servos. "They're innards."
You froze. You were still smiling, but only because your brain had short-circuited. Innards... Cybertronian guts. You looked at Nickel, and the minicon nodded. You looked at Vos, and he said something in Primal Vernacular that you didn’t understand, of course, but Tarn gasped, and said something about saving your innocence.
"What about those orbs?" You asked, but inside you were hoping that they weren't the Cybertronian version of testicles.
Nickel cleared her intake. "They're optics."
Optics… Cybertronian eyes. You blinked and took a deep breath. You regretted saying nothing phased you. Apparently, you weren't completely immune to the DJD's shenanigans. They really had tried their best though. Yes, the decorations were gory… but still pretty. You breathed out slowly, and then smiled.
"I love it," you admitted, and it was mostly true.