FanFic: Santa Clause is Comin' to Town
Title: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
Rating:G
Warnings: Cuteness and fluff
Verse: G1 AU
Characters/ Parings: Jazz/Prowl, Red Alert/Inferno, Crystal (OC)
"Red Alert will know where she is Prowl, he always does when she slips away like this. And she can't have gotten into any trouble or he would have commed us by now."
The Autobot Second in Command sighed. "I hope so. I wish she was not so adept at slipping away though." He already worried about his mate, Jazz's ability to slip away without warning when the situation dictated having caused Prowl more than one meltdown. Having a creation that was already displaying the same talents as her sparker was cause for concern.
At least so far Crystal had seemed to have avoided inheriting Jazz's sense of mischief. Her excursions into the outside world away from the watchful optics of her creators were always missions of curiosity with no harm intended.
At least not beyond causing her carrier to almost crash with worry. Prowl swore that Jazz just made the situation worse because every time they finally caught her he praised her to no end for her prowess and got as excited over whatever she had been able to discover as she was.
After that any scolding that Prowl might have wished to deliver had little impact, and he never could seem to get a promise out of her to never do it again before Jazz intervened.
All of that as they traversed the expanse of Autobot City towards the security center and Red Alerts domain, dodging the new additions brought on every December in the form of Christmas decorations. Worry and foresight had Prowl already comming ahead, to get the unusually calm voice of the security director in reply.
::Red Alert?::
::Prowl.:: There was an almost amused undertone to Red Alerts's voice. ::Before you ask, yes your wayward creation had found her way here again. I was just getting ready to comm you or Jazz to come get her.::
::Thank you.:: Prowl did not even try to hide his relief. ::I am sorry that she is bothering you.::
::She isn't. She's actually being rather cute. Inferno has been laughing on and off for almost a breem straight.::
A breem? Prowl was about to growl when the rest of Red Alert's message was processed. Inferno was visiting Red Alert. No doubt bringing him some energon so that the safety obsessed mech would actually fuel. No wonder Crystal had been allowed underfoot for so long.
::I will have to remember to thank him for looking after our creation.:: Prowl told him as he cast a sideways glance at his mate skipping along at his side.
::He enjoys it.:: And underneath that information Prowl could read that Red Alert enjoyed her presence as much as the mech courting him. ::She'll be fine until you arrive. Take your time.::
Jazz was left wondering and a little confused as Prowl smiled and slowed his pace to something more sedate and befitting his station as the Second in Command.
***
The small sparkling was completely engrossed in a hand game of reflexes from where she was seated on Inferno's knees when her creators arrived. It was the large red mech who broke it off with a smile as Jazz and Prowl entered the security center. "You win little one. Time to go home, I think."
Before Prowl could start scolding Jazz swooped forward, plucking the sparkling from her perch before she could fall in her excitement. He tossed her up in the air, grinning widely as he caught her and bounced her in her in his arms before settling her over his spark. "And just what do you think you were doing this time?"
"Looking!" Crystal squealed as soon as her delighted laughter abated enough to allow the expression of her still limited vocabulary.
"Lookin'!" Jazz repeated, visor flashing in mock surprise as he cast a smile at his mate, feeling Prowl's irritation draining away as the Praxian watched his mate and his creation interact. "Ya know ya worried yer carrier bad. That's a naughty thing."
Soft blue optics settled on Prowl, clear and innocent. "Sowwy." The thing was, Prowl knew that she meant it, as much as a sparkling her age could. She understood upset and sad, and knew when her creators were feeling those things. And she was always sorry when she was the cause.
But in the true nature of a sparkling her sorry only lasted until the next time she got a notion in her processor, if they were lucky.
The Praxian sighed and reached out, taking Crystal from his mate and holding her over his own spark. "I accept your apology. You could make me very happy by not running off like that again."
He lifted her so that he was looking directly into her optics. "Next time you want to go looking for some thing you come to me or your sparker, and we will go look with you. Okay?"
At the solemn nod Prowl smiled and returned her to the place over his spark.
::You know if she does come ask now one of us is going to have to drop whatever we are doing and go with her. Coming from you like that is a good as a promise, and she knows it.::
::I know Jazz. And I have every intention, short of a life or death situation, of keeping that promise.:: Sparklings were rare enough that if it came down to every day work or the needs of one, even if that need was only the fulfillment of curiosity, no one was going to blame the creators for choose the sparkling over duty.
The 'punishment' taken care of Prowl's attention turned to Red Alert and Inferno. "Thank you for looking after Crystal. We'll keep a better optics on her so that she does not bother you in the future."
Inferno laughed at that, though whether he was laughing at the idea that Crystal was a bother or at her creators ability to keep her contained when she was determined to go Prowl decided he didn't want to know. "She's no bother Prowl. If she wants to go out some time and you are both busy comm me. I'd be happy to watch her for a while."
"Thank you." Prowl answered, nodding at Red Alert as he turned, Jazz on his heels.
Once they were well down the hall Jazz bounced up next to him, close enough that if it were anyone but his mate Prowl would have been annoyed at the invasion of his personal space.
Jazz made a face at his creation causing her to giggle, and the to downright laugh as bounced higher and planted a kiss on the side of Prowl's helm, catching his mate off guard enough that the other stumbled and turned to stare. "Jazz?"
Grin splitting his face Jazz pointed up to the mistletoe that someone had placed overhead in the doorway. Caught his between his mates enthusiasm and his sparklings joy, Prowl just shook his head and let the matter drop, even if he was much more wary the rest of the way back to their quarters.
Home, he set Crystal down, allowing her to run off to play while he got her afternoon energon. Jazz followed him into the other room after he made sure the door was locked and the alarm set. That way if Crystal did manage to get it open her creators would at least be alerted to the fact that she was setting off on another adventure.
"Ya know, maybe we should let Red Alert and Inferno watch her on occasion. It seems ta do Red a lot of good. I don' think I've seen 'im that relaxed in over an earth month."
"That would be because the last time he was that relaxed was before December and all of the Christmas preparations. It used to make him crazy when everyone decorated the Ark. Even with the updated systems Aubtobot City is a much greater responsibility." Prowl reminded him as he tested the temperature of the energon before setting off in search of their creation.
Crystal safely settled on his lap and consuming her energon Prowl pulled out a datapad and began working. The usual afternoon pattern consisted of Crystal consuming her energon and then laying down for a nap. After the excitement of the morning Prowl expected there would be little trouble getting her to recharge, especially once Jazz wandered into the room and over to the sound system that dominated most of one wall.
After a few minutes of fiddling Jazz apparently had everything arranged to his satisfaction, since he finally turned away and crossed the room to settle by Prowl as the music started. Reaching out he took Crystal from his mates lap, seeing that the sparkling was already on her way to recharging even though half her energon still remained in the spill proof cube.
"Thank you." Prowl murmured, shifting on the couch make room for everyone.
"Welcome." ." Jazz replied with a smile as he settled back and started to sing along with the music.
It was his normal eclectic mix, made up of things that he knew Prowl enjoyed, music that he liked, and some local and seasonal things thrown in depending on the mood and the occasion.
It wasn't until several songs later that he noticed Prowl frowning and clearly distracted from his work. He stopped singing, all attention on the Praxian.
"Somethin' wrong love? If ya don' like it I can skip it."
You played this one last night." Prowl commented, listening to the human holiday song. "Have you actually stopped to listen to the lyrics?"
Amused and a little confused, Jazz concentrated on the rock version of 'Santa Clause is Comin' To Town', humming along after a few bars. "Yeah, wha' 'bout? It's jus' a song about a fictional human character. Supposed to bring good kids presents, so I understand. I think parent's use him as bribe fer good behavior the rest of the year. Too bad we don' have a Cybertonian equivilant." He added, looking down at the recharging sparkling in his lap.
"He sees you when you’re sleeping/ He knows when you’re awake... Jazz, did it ever occur to you how disturbing that idea is? Someone watching you all the time without your knowledge?"
Jazz had to work had to contain his laughter and not upset Crystal. "But he does warn you Prowl! It says so right there in the song!"
*****
"Twice. Twice in one day." Prowl groaned, hurrying through the city complex. It was a new record even for them.
Without faltering he dodged around a pair of mechs going the other direction and taking up most of the hall, growling in irritation when his comm went off. He wasn't terribly pleased with Jazz at the moment, since his mate was supposed to have been keeping an optic on their creation while Prowl was in his meeting with Optimus.
A joor. Was that too much to ask?
::Yes Jazz.::
He could feel his mate flinch over the bond, and with a sigh Prowl reigned in his frustration. He was upset with Jazz, but anger did him no good at the moment and would only distract them both while they searched for their creation.
::Ya can stop worrying Prowl. I just ran into Hound in the hall. He says she found her way to the common rec room this time. Was still there under the watchful optics of a couple of mechs when he left, safe and sound.::
A sigh of relief escaped Prowl. ::I will meet you there. And I think tomorrow I will speak to Ratchet about the possibility of putting a tracking device on her until she is older.::
::Agreed. See you there love.::
They reached the rec room at the same time, Jazz slipping in behind Prowl only to almost run into the Praxian's back when Prowl stopped abruptly. Peeking around his mate Jazz understood the reaction, even if he couldn't help but smile.
Crystal was sitting contentedly on a rather confused Red Alerts lap as the mech consumed his evening energon, Inferno at his side. Prowl's sigh finally distracted him from the sight as the mech stepped forward to reclaim their creation.
"It would seem that I own you another apology." Prowl informed Red Alert as he retrieved Crystal. "I'm sorry."
"I don't mind. Though I must confess that I do not understand why she seems to have developed such an attraction to me." The security director admitted. "Nor do I understand why she insists on informing me that she is 'good'."
"Telling your sparkling scary stories about what happens to bad sparklings already Jazz?" Inferno asked as the other mech moved around to see better.
"Nah. That's Prowl's job. Thanks for findin' her."
"Our pleasure. Though I was wondering if you have considered speaking to Ratchet about...?"
"Tomorrow." Both mechs intoned, looking down at Crystal, who simply stared back at them with blue optics that revealed just how clearly pleased she was with herself.
"Good."
"Thank you again." Prowl nodded, shifting Crystal and heading for the door, Jazz in tow. Once they were out in the hall he sighed and looked down at his creation. "And what were you doing this time?"
"Looking!" She chirruped, still pleased.
"And did you find what you were looking for this time?" Prowl asked.
She nodded happily as she snuggled against his chest.
Jazz laughed, visor flashing in amusement as he asked the question he apparently considered more important than his mate. "And jus' what were you lookin' for?"
"Who." Crystal chirped from Prowl's arms, voice taking on abruptly sleepy sound.
"What?" Both of her creators asked at once, surprised.
"Who." Crystal repeated. "Santa."
And with that her optics went dark as she slipped into recharge in Prowl's arms. The Praxian studied her for a moment, then looked at Jazz. "Santa?"
The other mech shrugged. "I dunno. She's got a big 'magination Prowl. At least she seems ta think she's found 'im."
"Indeed. Perhaps we will have a little peace now. Though I still intend to speak to Ratchet tomorrow. I am just thankful that today Red Alert has been keeping an optic on her. His watch on the monitors is comforting-"
It took a moment for Prowl to realize that Jazz was no longer walking beside him, and when he turned to find him was startled again.
Jazz was laughing so hard he was leaning on the wall for support. It actually look several kliks for the mech to get himself together enough to be able to speak again, looking up at Prowl from where he was still doubled over.
"Fine love, ya win. No more Christmas songs ‘bout Santa ‘round Crystal."
Prowl looked at his mate as though the mech had lost his mind, and seriously considered pinging Ratchet. "I do not understand Jazz."
"Red Alert. Monitors. Crystal looking for Santa." Jazz spelled it out, and when he could see that Prowl was still not getting it he started to sing. "He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you're awake..."
The expression on Prowl's face had Jazz folded over laughing again, helpless when Prowl huffed in exasperation and walked away, leaving Jazz to his amusement.
Because Jazz knew that Prowl was smiling too.