Universe: G1 AU
Characters: Bluestreak, Prowl, Jazz, Smokescreen, Rung (IDW)
Plot: home isn't the same for everyone.
Notes: part 2 of the SpyMaster!Prowl universe, started with "Desertum fecerunt et pacem appellaverunt". Also title obviously reference to Transformers Animated's episode "Home is where the spark is".

The first place Bluestreak called home was not Praxus.
Praxus.
Cold metal walls, secret apartments, guards watching him as he played. A brother gone, only pictures reminding him of the fiery red and blue speedster. Another, black and white, always away. Stacks of data pads always in the way when Blue wanted to play. Too much work, too little time. And Blue could only watch the city from the window, if there was a window where he was.
And he talked. To himself. At least the place wasn't completely silent. He had started writing much earlier than it should be possible. It was the only company he had, his voice and his glyphs on the data pad. At first they made no sense, or at least that was what Streetwise said. It was a burst of anything that came to his processor. But he got better. Prowl, the rare times who came over, took his time to read over some of his writing. And even Streetwise read it, despite what he said.

Streetwise was the only guard who always stuck with him. Bluestreak didn't know what Prowl did, the mech never spoke of his job, just let him know it was very important. But he knew his guards feared his big brother. All lowered their doorwings and bowed to him.
Streetwise was not like them. He always stood straight, and was not afraid. And he was the only one who stayed for more than a few months. Blue liked him. He cared.

As time passed Prowl was even less around. When he returned, one more  glyph on his doorwings meant a day less with him. And they moved incessantly. Blue thought to know all the apartments in the whole city. They all looked the same. Reinforced metal walls, alarms everywhere he often triggered by mistake. Or on purpose. At least once in a while Prowl popped up. And he didn't care if he got scolded, the tight hug he was pulled in was all he wanted. There was his home.

Bluestreak had never seen his own home city. Prowl had never let him out. Only stories of the crystals reached his audials. And a few pictures. Silent pictures. He had never heard the legendary, coral songs Streetwise talked about. Only one lone crystal was on his nightstand, companion of sleepless nights when he just felt so lonely. And Blue talked to it too. At least it hummed in answer.

- - -

Then Praxus shook. And it was loud. Streetwise was holding him close, as they moved again, and the roars of strange engines seemed to follow them. Bluestreak hid his face in white armor as he trembled. The transport they were in covering the sight, no windows there too, but the sound... The roar of explosions was too clear. It made his spark tremble. And he cried, unable to talk to cover the sound.

When they arrived to the new hiding place, it was different. They had never been underground. But inside it was that same gray metal. No berth, no nightstand, no crystal. Just Streetwise curling up around him, as they both shook with the explosions.
"Ten little praxian mechs went out to dine, one choked his little self and then there were nine..." his guard murmured, and Bluestreak managed to relax. That little dirge reminded him of Prowl reading to him. As the words caught his attention he felt himself space out a bit. He only heard the words and felt little rubs on his trembling wings.

Then home came to him. Strong white arms wrapped around him as Prowl picked him up and let him cling. His big brother looked at his guard who was smiling weakly, and nodded before starting going toward the exit.
"Street?" Blue chirped in confusion, reaching out to the mech who had not moved. Why was the mech not coming?
"He's okay." Prowl reassured "you'll see him again. Now come on. You are safe."
And Blue just knew it was true.

- - -

Then Iacon came. Iacon, was like the small mech who took him out of the hole. Weird, but always grinning in amusement or joy. A puzzle. Suddenly he was encouraged to have friends, and when he didn't want to he'd be able to snuggle with Prowl at his spark's content.
Even Smokey was there! And with him came games of catch, sweets of all kinds, tickling when he was sad. Cuddles curled up against his two big brothers, doorwings petted with sincere affection.

And then, there was Jazz! He stuck around and always brought him out to play games. Prowl didn't like him, but Smokey did. And Smokey was the fun brother. So Blue liked Jazz. He felt like a good mech too. It felt like Street. He wasn't afraid of his big bro either.

He thought Prowl gave up eventually.

Often Prowl held him close to his chassis now that he didn't work away anymore. It felt like another world. They had their room, Smokey's just beside theirs. And Blue drew his first sketch on the wall of that room, two little red and yellow twins watching him with rapt optics.
"You good!" Sides squeaked while hugging him, while Sunny just shrugged.
"Nice." he conceded before adding some flames around the mech-blob Blue drew.
"What are ya doing youngsters? ' Jazz's voice asked from behind, and Blue turned to grin at him.
" Drawing! " he squeaked " Don't tell brother! "
Jazz snorted in amusement.
" Aw he'll find out anyway, but not from meh. " he promised before tilting his helm at the drawing "who's that mech in the drawing? '
Bluestreak grinned at the drawing of the white mech. He missed him.
" Street! Miss him. Remained in Praxus. " he explained softly. Sadness flashing in his optics briefly.
Jazz blinked and looked at him curiously.
" who was he? " he asked softly while sitting with the three kids, helping them draw. Sides and Sunny more interested on how good he was at artwork than at the conversation, and Blue was happy with that. Brother didn't want him to talk about these things, when not with Mr Eyebrow... Ah Rung. That was the name. But Jazz was nice! And he liked his drawings!
"He guarded me." he explained with a chirp "was always with me. I miss him."
His wings trembled again as a surge of grief at the white and black mech's loss hit him again. The twin siblings realized he was upset and cooed sadly, going to him and hugging him. Sunstreaker murmuring something about him protecting Blue. Blue was so grateful, and felt himself start crying. Hiding his face in Sides' warm red plating.
Soon two bigger arms wrapped around all three of them.
"Aw younglin'...' Jazz murmured softly and Blue just closed his optics. Basking in that comfort he didn't know he needed.

Big bro found them like that, when Blue was only whimpering softly. Exhausted. He felt the group hug break and whined, but Prowl's own field welcomed him as he was scooped in his arms.
"Jazz." the mech said and didn't sound happy. That was the dangerous voice. Blue was afraid of that. His guards got changed quickly after that.
"Don't want Jazz gone." he pleaded, looking up at Prowl, then glancing at Jazz over his shoulder. The mech seemed stunned at him.
"Only for tonight sweetspark." Prowl murmured soothingly "you need recharge. You'll play with him and the twins tomorrow."
When Jazz left, Prowl said no more and laid down with him close to his chassis. Blue hoped Prowl would keep his word.

- - -

Next morning he knew what was going to happen before Prowl even spoke. The empty desk and drawers meant only one thing.
" Brother no..." he begged sitting on his berth still, a bit sleepy "I want to stay..."
Prowl didn't stop what he was doing. Putting the last data pads carefully in his subspace.
"Here it's not safe Blue. We need to move." he explained shortly "everything you had is in my subspace. Take your energon, then we leave."
The only thing left on his drawer was a cube for him. Blue whined before taking it, knowing his brother was not easily dissuaded. He desperately reached out to his bond with Smokescreen, one he felt always closer. He didn't want to leave!
Coolant fell in his energon as he sipped it as slowly as he could but no one came to help. Why wasn't Smokey coming?
Prowl was waiting patiently, he never hurried him with energon and Blue knew it, but he couldn't fool him forever.

A knock rang in the silence of the room, but then the door opened without Prowl having the time to say anything.
"Jazz!" Blue squeaked softly and put down the energon to hug his leg happily. Another mech then entered, before Prowl could even say anything. Rung, the mech he spent a lot of time with at least once a week. He was nice, he usually smiled warmly. But now he looked unhappy, a frown on his face. Both newcomers were frowning.
"Go with your big bro Smokey, younglin'." Jazz murmured picking him up with ease and turning to place him right in Smokescreen's arms, who had been standing behind them.
"Smokey!" Blue trilled hugging him tightly "don't wanna leave... '
" I know Blue, you won't. " he muttered softly while carrying him away, the door closing behind them. The three mechs still inside.

And, as he found out when they returned from a very long playdate with the twins, they did not. Prowl didn't say much really, just hugging him close. And Blue was just too happy and tired to worry.
He was home.

Author's note.
As I said, I love this verse! Bluestreak's prospective is fascinating for me, especially as he didn't have the happiest childhood.