Jasmine grunted, exaggerating her discomfort as Optimus led her, blindfolded from their house. He smiled, holding her hands as he backed up through the yard, feet scraping against the blades of grass. His delight only grew when he looked down and saw the developing bump that had taken up residence on Jasmine’s abdomen. His children. His children were growing inside her, healthy.

He chuckled softly, a small vision of holding the twins flashing through his mind for a few flickering moments. Jasmine’s brows rose behind the blindfold.

Jasmine: “Um . . . Optimus? Dare I ask?”

He smiled, quickly kissing her cheek, catching a quick breath of her scent.

Orion: “Just a brief thought . . . Not linked to your surprise . . . Though I promise that’s wonderful, too.”

She smiled gently and gave a small nod.

Jasmine: “All right . . .”

He planted a gentle kiss on her lips, smiling as he entered the small building. The warmth, density, moisture and scent of the air shifted inside. The cool breeze died off and the scent of warm bodies was evident. Jasmine paused, frowning slightly as she tried to pinpoint why it was such a drastic difference, or where on the property they could possibly be.

Jasmine: “Optimus . . . ? What . . . ?”

He smiled, kissing her temple quickly before sliding the blindfold from her eyes, moving so she had a full view of the ‘surprise’ he’d been promising her for days.

They stood in the center of a newly finished stable.

Several large bodies filled the building.

Half a dozen horses nickered, ears flicking as they watched the two new arrivals. Optimus grinned as Jasmine looked around the stable, taking in the appearance of the horses one by one. She blinked, a smile slowly creeping across her face. Abruptly, she laughed and jumped around, throwing her arms around Optimus tightly.

Jasmine: “You wonderful, beautiful man!”

He laughed heartily as she planted kiss after kiss on his cheeks, his temples, his lips, before darting away, examining each of the horses, one hand subconsciously drifting to her abdomen. The horses were beautiful, well-built and sturdy, but varied in their colors from burgundy to a chocolate with a white spattering. She smiled, but noticed similar features in each of the horses; a strong neck and legs, a particular way they held themselves, and a very mild demeanor. Well, all but one, but Jasmine already knew that horse.

Jasmine: “Are they-?”

Orion: “All Friesian mixes? Yes.”

He smiled, not even giving her the time to ask. He figured she’d pinpoint the ties to her favorite breed of horse. It was only a matter of time, really. He was glad she’d gotten it so quickly.

Orion: “From Appaloosa to Thoroughbred, they’re all at least a fifty percent Friesian cross. What do you think?”

She laughed, turning back to him, eyes bright.

Jasmine: “What do I think? I think you’re a beautiful, wonderful man who’s given me the world plus horses! What did I ever do to deserve someone like you . . . ?”

He smiled, chuckling softly as he strode over, picking her up in his arms, earning him a broader smile than he’d expected.

Orion: “You’re wonderful . . . Do I need any other reason to love you?”

She laughed, shrugging, closing her eyes, the joy almost too much to waste her eyesight on. She wanted to feel this bliss with her eyes closed for once. It was the best way to feel the way it consumed her in a warm embrace.

Almost as warm as the one she got from Optimus every night. She smiled, nuzzling into his hold, and a soft chuckle shook his chest in a way she couldn’t describe, or imagine ever living without.

Jasmine: “Optimus Prime . . .”

She said quietly, grinning. The world felt right in this moment. He smiled back, leaning down to kiss her briefly.

Orion: “Yes, JewelBlade Prime . . . ?”

He grinned as she gave a small laugh.

Jasmine: “First off, that’s not how it works and you know it, Dweebus. Primes are chosen, not just . . . Marital or relation status. I’m still just JewelBlade . . . But I can be Jasmine Pax . . .”

He chuckled gently and gave a nod of approval.

Orion: “Works for me, Maiden. Now what were you saying?”

She laughed softly, smiling.

Jasmine: “Don’t you ever even think about leaving us. I don’t know what I’d do without you around, Mr. Perfect . . .”

He snickered, nuzzling her, not caring that several pairs of gentle eyes were watching them from their stalls.

Orion: “I know what you’d do.”

She laughed, shaking her head at his assumption, secretly loving every moment with him. Well, not so secretly, perhaps. She always loved being around him no matter what, and she didn’t exactly try to hide the fact.

Jasmine: “Is that so?”

She prodded, crossing her arms, not even trying to fight the way he held her. She trusted him, she realized. She was still a bit uneasy, but she figured that was fairly normal. Otherwise, she was completely fine with hovering off the ground, his arms the only thing keeping her from a rough impact with the cement stable floor, or tile floor, or compacted dirt, whatever happened to be what they were standing on during the various moments when he insisted on carrying her.

Orion: “I do. Want to know what it is?”

She snickered, nodding.

Jasmine: “Please enlighten me, oh wise one!”

He grinned, shifting her in his arms to kiss just behind her ear before whispering against her skin.

Orion: “You’d hunt down the bastard who kidnapped me and bring me home to our lovely family.”

She laughed, squeezing him tighter, and Orion grinned, kissing her forehead over and over, nuzzling her close to his body.

Orion: “I love you, Maiden . . . Don’t you ever forget how true that is . . . Because then I’ll have to hunt down the bastard who brainwashed you and reverse his damn meddling.”

Jasmine laughed again, delighted in him, in the way he played with his words so easily.

Jasmine: “Quite a potty mouth today, huh?”

He chuckled, nuzzling her.

Orion: “I blame you . . .”

He kissed her temple gently and she snickered, her face aching a little from smiling so much, but it would never quite be too much. Not when he was the reason she smiled. Not when he was so beautiful and wonderful. Not when he made her so happy.

Jasmine: “How is it my fault you’re developing a cussing problem you crazy mech?”

She exclaimed, grinning. He said the weirdest things some days, but he always said them in such a way that she couldn’t be angry with him. Well, most of the time, anyway. He wasn’t perfect, but he was pretty close.

And he was as perfect as she needed him to be.

Orion: “Because you’ve corrupted the Prime . . . You make me want to abandon that title some days . . . Just so that I can be the mech you need to walk with on the little-bit-reckless side of your life . . .”

She laughed, shaking her head gently.

Jasmine: “Optimus, if you were as crazy as I am, the world would be in for a whole mess of trouble.”

He smiled, and rather than argue, just kissed her again, refusing to let her down.

~~~

Jasmine clicked the door to Sunny’s room shut quietly. It had taken a good ten minutes of stories, but the girl was asleep at last, resting peacefully in her new bed, the frame painted white with daffodils. A rising sun was in the center of the headboard. She’d picked it out herself. All her bedroom furniture followed the same theme. A large white dreamcatcher sat near her bed, yellow feathers and beads giving it color. The walls were a pale yellow with a pink trim. It had taken a few days to get everything in order, but it had gotten there.

More so, Jasmine had what she’d wanted for years. A family in her home. Dancer slept with Sunny most nights, and Thunder slept in the room they were preparing for the twins. It was amusing, really. And Harley, well, Harley liked to sleep with them. Unless things got a bit more . . . intimate, but that happened less and less, which meant Harley stayed in there room more and more.

One night, all three dogs, and both cats, had decided to sleep in bed with them, leaving no room to move. Jasmine had woken up first and immediately began to snicker, catching Orion’s attention, who laughed as he realized the situation.

Orion: “Apparently we have guests.”

Jasmine: “Just a few.”

Only a few nights later, Sunny had come to their room, complaining of a bad dream, and they’d taken her in, holding her close between them. And again, the bed had filled up overnight. A dog on each outer edge, one at the foot of the bed, a cat on each pillow by Jasmine and Orion’s heads. The bed had certainly been warm those nights. It had also been the next day when they’d gotten sunny a dreamcatcher to make her feel better.

But tonight, Orion had more plans. He swept up behind Jasmine, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck gently, murmuring against her skin.

Orion: “Are you ready to be ravished . . . ?”

She laughed gently, shaking her head at his recent behavior. Of course, the bond had it’s hand in that. Her unfiltered joy, amplified by the pregnancy hormones, were definitely getting to him lately.

Jasmine: “I’m ready to get prepared for bed, you nut . . .”

He chuckled, shrugging.

Orion: “Fair enough . . . Let me know when you’re ready . . . Wear something nice . . .”

She smiled, nodding.

Jasmine: “All right . . .”

It took her less than half an hour to prepare, cleansing her skin, brushing her hair, and eventually slipping into a red satin and lace babydoll. She stepped into the hall, feeling a tad ridiculous in anything of the sort when she was pregnant and showing it.

Optimus turned to look at her paused for a moment before grinning. She flushed slightly, feeling scrutinized, especially with the surge his spark gave off.

Jasmine: “What? You said nice. You did say nice, right? Don’t tell me I imagined that. I’ll freak if I’m hearing things so early in the pregnancy.”

He chuckled and walked over to her, shaking his head.

Orion: “You’re perfect . . . I just wasn’t expecting something so . . . intimate . . . Nonetheless . . .”

He slipped another blindfold on her and took her in his arms, carrying her back outside, even though she rolled her eyes under the blindfold.

Orion: “I saw that.”

He teased, and she laughed, shaking her head.

Jasmine: “Did not. You felt it.”

He smiled, shrugging.

Orion: “Same thing with us, Beautiful.”

She didn’t bother arguing, only pressed against him as he carried her over the grass, the sounds of crickets chirping filling the air. It had already cooled at least ten degrees since the sun had set, giving the area a bit of a chill, especially with the thin fabric of the babydoll that did nothing to hold body heat.

Jasmine tensed slightly, grabbing for Optimus’s shirt as he began to ascend in steady steps. She knew they’d gotten a good distance from the house. The light that had been shining through the windows no longer permeated the blindfold. It didn’t exactly need to be the thickest fabric when it was already night out. He only smiled at her reaction as he continued his upward path.

Orion: “Did I startle you?”

She shivered as a bit of a breeze swept under the cloth that failed to serve as real clothing, even in the warm summer night.

Jasmine: “What’s going on, Optimus?”

He chuckled gently, kissing her forehead.

Orion: “What do you think, Maiden?”

She gave a small pout.

Jasmine: “Oh come now, do I get to know what’s going on or not?”

He smiled, kissing her forehead again before slipping off the cloth once he’d come to a standstill, reaching the end of his path.

Orion: “I love you, Maiden.”

It was all he said before throwing the door open to the treehouse at the top of a flight of handmade oak stairs, turning on a light to the kitchen and living room. It was all centered on details and the wood carried a golden-red hue. The countertops were white with veins of a light green running through them. Jasmine grinned and turned to him.

Jasmine: “It’s gorgeous . . . But I’m exhausted . . . Can we continue the tour tomorrow when I can really appreciate it?”

Optimus smiled and nodded, flicking the light switch back off, darkening the interior of the small suspended house, taking Jasmine’s hand and walking her around the deck that encompassed the entire structure. On the opposite end sat a large hammock, suspended by two sturdy branches from nearby trees. The view that wasn’t facing the treehouse was part canopy, but mostly sky. And tonight, the stars glittered with perfect clarity.

Jasmine smiled, even spotting the moon in perfect view tonight, a waxing crescent. Optimus didn’t wait to pick her up and pull her into the hammock with him, kissing the back of her neck as he pulled a thin quilt around them; enough to cut the chill of night, but not enough to make them overheat.

He held her close to him, nuzzling against her skin, letting her relax, his chest to her back so they fit together perfectly.

Orion: “So what do you think, Maiden?”

She smiled, watching the stars for a moment before closing her eyes, breathing slowly, able to catch a hint of his unique scent every so often when the wind paused.

Jasmine: “I think you’re perfect . . .”

She murmured, already starting to give in to the throes of her exhaustion. The pregnancy, more so in it’s accelerated state, was draining. Optimus smiled, kissing her cheek, humming a small tune.

Orion: “I’m not perfect, but I swear I’m perfect for you . . . And there’s no guarantee, that this will be easy. It’s not a miracle you need, believe me. Now I’m no angel, I’m just me, but I will love you endlessly. Wings aren’t what you need, you need me . . .”

Her smile grew a bit, even in her drifting state.

Jasmine: “Optimus . . . It’s a sweet gesture . . . And I love it . . . But go to sleep . . .”

He chuckled gently, closing his eyes and squeezing her gently one more time.

Orion: “Can do, Boss . . .”

He kissed her cheek again, earning one more surge of affection from the bond before she fell asleep.