When All Lights Go Out I (TFP)

Azura sniffled as she finally was able to stop crying enough to relax. Optimus was still holding her against his shoulder, letting her cry out the tears that she had let out. He did not know why she had been crying, but it did not matter to him one bit. Something had upset her. He assumed it could have been a bad dream, though he wasn't entirely sure if that was accurate. However, he would not push her to tell him if she did not want to say what had upset her.

"Do you feel better?" Optimus asked gently as he felt her slowly relax in his hands and against his shoulder. He felt her nod and heard her sniffle loudly. He smiled, rubbing her back gently. "Do you need a little more time, or would you like us to make you some breakfast?"

Azura leaned back from Optimus's shoulder and looked up at him with tear eyes. "I am okay...I will just need to wash my face and I'll come out to the lobby...unless you are okay with waiting for me to come out of the bathroom. I...I kind of want company."

Optimus smiled kindly at her, hearing her need for company warmed his spark as he could tell she was sad about something. "I will gladly wait for you, Azura. You have no need worry about me. My patience will never wilt for you." She raised an eyebrow at him though she said nothing as he lowered her to the ground. "If I could, I would have grabbed the damp cloth to clean your face for you. But my arms are just too big to fit through that door."

She smiled slightly at Optimus and walked towards the bathroom again. "It is okay. I am old enough to do things for myself. Plus, I did have to learn how to do a lot of things for myself without any help, so I do enjoy being independent." He did not respond or react as he listened to the girl. "You don't need to feel like you need to do a lot for me."

"That might be true, however since you are under our care, you are a responsibility for us," Optimus said gently as the girl entered the bathroom and he heard her run the water. "And as you already know, we have adopted you. Even if it is not considered official in the eyes of human law, so to an extent, doing things for you is nothing that we will complain about."

Azura knew that might be the case. She knew Optimus would do these things with her so that she could feel better. And she did not mind the idea, but she still did not know how she felt. Being hugged by Optimus before made her feel like she was at home, with her parent. She knew it could be because the autobots have added her into their family, and have made it clear she was part of it. But considering she has dreamt of this autobot and felt drawn to him ever since she met the autobots, she still did not know. Though the dream had her questioning a lot of things.

"But I am a human, Optimus. There are just some things you won't be able to do for me." Azura splashed her face with water and dried her skin with a paper towel. "But that is okay. It is like I won't be able to do things for you, Optimus. But we can find things to do."

Optimus knew what she was saying was half true. He heard her walk back to the door and he saw the tears were gone from her eyes. "Um...Azura..." She looked at him curiously as she heard nervousness in his tone. "I...uh...have..." She listened intently, waiting for Optimus to tell her what he wanted to say. "I have something to..." He grimaced and looked away from her briefly before looking back at her. "Since today is the last day before you go to school tomorrow, did you want to go into town to get anything? I know you went for a drive yesterday, but now that you no longer need the wheelchair, you might want to go shopping properly."

Azura had a suspicion that Optimus was going to tell her something else, but his nerves got to him. She had a feeling that was rather unusual for him, but she decided to overlook that for the time being. She pondered Optimus's question thoughtfully and smiled at him. "That actually sounds like a good idea. It would help me take my mind off some things, and I could use another drive."