December 15th

"We should put a Christmas tree up in here or something," Miko muttered, staring at the dull scenery of the base.

"A what?" Ratchet asked.

"Like...a fir or a spruce tree," Raf explained.

"Vegetation is not going to be in here," Ratchet immediately replied.

"Even if it's fake? My mom has a small Christmas tree I'm sure we could set up right there-" Jack said, pointing to a small open space between the railing and the TV. "It's only a few feet high."

Ratchet thought for a minute and looked ready to protest when Optimus walked in.

"Why not allow the children to celebrate their holiday?" the Prime asked, looking at his old friend. Ratchet sighed.

"Fine. But I'm not taking care of any tree. I'm busy enough as it is."

"It's fake, remember?" Miko asked, as if it were obvious. Ratchet rolled his optics, and Bee and Jack left to go get the tree from Jack's house.

About half an hour later they returned, with Jack holding a box taller than Raf, but not as tall as him, and Raf was holding a star and a box of ornaments (as well as candy canes).

"One Christmas tree, coming right up," he announced, and lugged it up the stairs, where Miko took it and started taking it out in excitement.

"This is awesome! We're actually celebrating Christmas in the base!"

"What is a Christmas tree, anyway?" Bulkhead wondered out loud. Jack looked up from where he was working with the others and walked over to the railing.

"It's just a part of the holiday. People usually put presents under the tree, where they open them on Christmas morning. There's more to Christmas than just opening gifts and getting presents...it's the spirit of Joy and giving and whatnot. The Christmas spirit. People usually tend to be nicer around this time and go out of their way to do things for people more often. It's one of my favorite times of the year, particularly for that reason."

Bumblebee warbled a question, which Raf translated as he helped a struggling Miko, who was currently trying to get the tree into the base to hold it up.

"What are in gifts?"

"Well...anything. It can be something silly, something meaningful, some gifts aren't even wrapped, or placed under a tree. Yet, they are still given. It just...depends."

Miko finally stood up after the tree was successfully standing upright, and stared at it.

"You're supposed to pull the branches down," Raf said quietly.

"Yeah, I know...I'm thinking. We should get Christmas lights and string them around our area here."

"Your mind is everywhere," Jack said to her. Miko grinned, before taking an ornament and hooking it onto his ear. Jack shook his head in amusement, and the ornament jingled with the movement.

"Should we be getting you three a gift?" Arcee asked, surprisingly participating in this conversation. Jack thought for a minute, frowned, and looked away.

"I think...you already have..."

***
December 16th

"Guys. We should do something for them."

"Like what?" Miko asked, taking a fry and eating it in two bites.The three were at K.O. drive in, which was decorated from floor to ceiling with anything Christmas. They were at the farthest booth away from anyone else, and kept their voices down.

"I don't know. Maybe a giant card?"

"Would that be cheesy?" Raf asked, before sipping his Dr. Pepper. Miko frowned in thought, slowly dipping her fry in ketchup and munching it again.

"Nah. I mean, what else are we supposed to get them? They're-"

she stopped, realizing she had been talking a little loud.

"-giant robots," she finished, her voice down to a soft whisper. Jack picked at his uneaten burger in thought, playing with the somewhat-fresh lettuce.

"I mean...they protect our planet from the 'cons. They make plenty of sacrifices just for us, for our race, and only a small handful know what they do for us just so we can carry on about our lives. I feel like a simple 'thank you' can't match up to that."

"You helped Optimus get his memories back. We've helped them before, multiple times. I think that's saying something," Miko pointed out, pointing to him with her fry before shoving it into her mouth and reaching for another as she chewed.

"It's not the same," Jack replied. "The Autobots risk their lives for our planet, and they're not even human."

"Could we make a replica of Cybertron for them?" Raf offered, before taking a bite out of his hamburger.

"Maybe. When Ratchet took over my science project he created that replica. I think I still have it."

"We'll just make another. Bigger. 'Bot sized," Jack suggested.

"Sounds like fun," Miko muttered. Jack shrugged.

"It feels a little more meaningful than just a simple card. But, we're going to need to work on it a lot to get it done by Christmas."

"Let's go then," Miko replied, and they threw away their trash and walked out with what they still hadn't eaten.

***
December 22nd

"Well...we know one thing for sure. It's way easier said than done," Miko muttered, holding a piece of metal for Jack, who was welding it. They all agreed he was the better candidate for the job, since he had used the welder before, in the scraplet incident.

"What?" Jack asked loudly, stopping his welder.

"Nothing," Miko replied, and Jack continued. They were on their last piece of framework, and it was taking them a while, since they were human and they were creating a replica the bots could easily hold in their servos. Raf was keeping watch and keeping the 'bots from walking down the hall they were working on it. However he usually exchanged with Miko. The two continued to point out things Jack could do while also still trying to help themselves. They found the right paint that would work best on metal, and tried to find the right shades of everything. Miko's tiny replica was invaluable in their effort to get this replica to look like the real deal.

Suddenly the three heard footsteps, and Raf went to stop them.

"...Optimus! H-hey!" The 12 and 1/4 year old greeted nervously.

"Rafael. We all have been wondering what you three have been doing the past few days. You have not finished your tree, even."

"Y-yeah. We're just busy."

"May I ask with what?" The leader asked in his gentle voice, looking at the young boy.

"N-no. It's sort of a...surprise. Sorry. But you'll get to see it soon. All of you," he reassured. Optimus raised an optic ridge.

"Alright. If you require anything, please, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thanks Optimus." Raf smiled, and Optimus nodded once before turning and leaving.

***
Christmas Eve

"How does it look?" Jack asked, stepping back to inspect their work. Miko held up the smaller replica and squinted, assessing the two.

"It's pretty good," she concluded.

"I'm happy we could get it done by Christmas," Raf said, obviously pleased with their work. Jack nodded in agreement, and the kids walked out of the hallway.

"Thanks for staying out of that hallway while we weren't at the base," Jack said to the others.

"You'll see what's there tomorrow."

The kids went onto their tree, finishing up decorating it and plugging it in. Though the base lights were on, the tree still looked pretty.

"It looks even better in the dark," Miko said as the 'bots (minus Ratchet) stared at the tree. The kids couldn't wait to show the 'bots what they had planned.

***

"Merry Christmas!" Miko shouted as soon as she got out of the car, carrying two presents and wearing a Santa hat on her head. Jack and Raf were carrying two presents as well, and they all placed them under the tree.

"So...what...you just open them?" Arcee asked in confusion.

"Yeah," Miko replied.

"But first..." Jack said, looking to the others. Raf grinned.

"We made you all something," the boy finished.

"I guessed, from your effort of keeping us away from that part of the base," Ratchet replied.

"Come on, we'll show you!" Miko replied, bounding down the stairs in excitement. Optimus obediently followed, and the 'bots followed Optimus. Ratchet didn't bother complaining about being pulled away from his work for once, too driven by his own curiosity at what the kids had been up to all this time.

They led them down the hall, and soon the replica of Cybertron came into view, and suddenly the kids had become self-conscious. They had worked hard on it, surely, and they felt they did a pretty good job, considering they were only teenagers who didn't know much about painting or welding. But what if the 'bots didn't think the same way? What if they had managed to mess up the replica somehow?

Their worries didn't let up as the 'bots simply stared at the gift the kids were making them. Did they like it? Did they not? They all looked at each other, knowing each other was thinking the same thing.

Optimus simply stared at the gift. The kids were nearly perfect in their replication of Cybertron, and it reminded him so much of the years before the war, in the Golden Age. He bent down and picked it up in his servos, where it was still a little big to hold in one servo. The kids must've worked really hard, enough to get something this big and this detailed done in a short amount of time.

The others stared at the sphere that Optimus was holding in his servo, before looking down at the kids.

"You made this?" Arcee asked in disbelief. Jack slowly nodded. Ratchet was surprised at how accurately they had portrayed their home planet.

"Ratchet's model he made for my science project a few months back really came in handy here," Miko explained, and Ratchet couldn't help but smirk just a little.

"Jack, Miko, Rafael," Optimus started, finally looking away from the replica and to the three kids.

"Thank you for your work and dedication in making this for us."

"Of course," Raf replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a finger.

"We wanted to show you that we appreciate everything you've done for us, and our planet," Jack said. "And we felt a simple card, or a thank you, or anything like that didn't match up to anything you've done for us. So...I guess...we tried giving you a piece of home."

The 'bots smiled at the three. Even Ratchet, who was touched at the gesture. This was something they would surely cherish.

"Thank you," Optimus said again, as Bee picked up Raf and wrapped a digit around him in a type of hug before setting him on his shoulder.

"You helping us is sometimes thanks enough," Arcee said, looking to the three.

"We just...wanted to make a special effort this time of year."

Miko smiled and nodded in agreement, before taking her hat off and pulling it over Jack's head.

"C'mon, you two are gonna love the presents I got you!" she said, looking up at Raf before grabbing Jack's arm and pulling him along. The 'bots followed again, Optimus still carrying Cybertron in his servos.

~~~

I wanted to do something this year since I didn't do a Christmas thing last year.

And on a side note, I really like food scenes for some reason. When people are eating food I like writing about them eating and talking. Idk why lol

But anyway, Merry Christmas guys, I wrote a near 2000-word oneshot for y'all as my Christmas present.

It actually rained here and it was actually cold today...which like, never happens in my state. I was able to snuggle in my warm blanket all day drinking (herbal) peppermint tea mixed with hot chocolate :D

Happy Holidays! I probably won't update anything (except maybe My Book of Scrap) until next year, so...see you next year! :T

-Bumblemus Prime