Times Are Changing

19

 

They pushed their engines to the max, weaving in and out of each other’s way. Once they reached the rough terrain leading to the overlook, they both transformed and continued to run, laughing and not stopping for anything.

Ironhide beat her by a few paces, though that didn’t stop her from pouncing on his frame, sending him on his back on the ground. He couldn’t help but grin at her as she settled herself on his chest. “You are something else.”

“Mm? How’s that?”

“You can make me feel like an adolescent again.”

Jadefire gave him a wicked smile. “I bet I know how to make you feel like that even more.” The smile faded. “But, are you all right enough to do all this? We fixed you only a few hours ago.”

“I’m fine. Been through worse repairs before. So, what do I win?”

She didn’t answer in words. Instead, her smirk returned and she slipped down off his frame, running a digit lightly over his hatch, unlatching it as she ran over the lock. She was tempting him, going slow, enjoying the tiny changes in his facial plates.

He clenched his optics shut as she opened the hatch and ran her hand down his module, lightly twirling at the cables that attached it to him, eliciting a groan from his vocal processors. She let out a startled sound. “What is it?”

“I… I can feel it, sort of.” She ran her hand over his module again, almost retracting it from him. “It’s like my own, just fainter.”

“To be expected, if this acts as a simulation of a sparkbond.”

She frowned. “But it isn’t.” She felt his impatience starting to rise. She chuckled at this and resumed her motions. “So eager.”

He let out a growl as she hit a sweet spot, making his gravelly voice drop lower. “If you’re going to do that, don’t stop to think.”

“Oh I’m not planning on it. Especially now that I can tell what works best.” She felt the mild jolts faintly through their links.

He remembered what it was like to be able to share feelings and emotions, and this was exactly the same. The link was precisely like then, centuries ago. He jerked as she wrapped her serpentine glossa around his module, feeling it constrict and retract subtly before she pulled it into her mouth.

She continued with the rolling restriction of her glossa, using her hand for the rest of him. She knew through the link he was closing in on overload.

He reached his peak with a low growl, spilling Energon over her hand. “Glad I won then.”

She smirked, flicking her hand a few times. “Mm, but it’s my turn now.”

He switched their positions, pushing her against the ground. “I think you’re ready for the whole thing.”

“I am.” She reached up to touch his face close to the scars. “Say it first though.”

“Say what?”

“You know exactly what.”

He chuckled. “I’m allowed to joke every-so-often.”

“’Hide…”

“You know I do.”

She gripped on to one of the fins on his helm. “Ironhide!”

“I love you, all right? Pain in the aft femme.”

She smiled and retracted her hand. “Better, stubborn mech.”

“Touché.”

She let out a giggle while she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him unlatch her own hatch. “Don’t hold back.”

“Don’t intend to, Sweetheart.”

“How touching.”

The two jerked apart, drawing their weapons at the cracking voice emanating from the trees.

“Put that thing away. Thought Autobots fought with more dignity than that.” From the trees, Starscream emerged, gun drawn and aimed at Jadefire. “Haven’t seen this femme before, though.”

“Showing a backstrut now, Starscream?” Ironhide snarled, retracting one weapon to close his hatch once more. “You’ve never once entered a fight where you didn’t think you had some sort of advantage.”

Starscream grinned. “Call it what you like, but I tend to like surviving over suicide.” Behind him, several red optics revealed themselves before the accompanying bodies emerged.

Ironhide dropped his voice. “Jade, get out of here. Get the others.”

“I’m not leaving you alone.” She held her sword in front of her. “We either both live, or both die trying.”

“Take the left half, I’ll do right.” He side-glanced her. “Then afterward, you’re mine.”

“Always was.”

The Decepticons rushed forward with a snarl, and the two Autobots met them in a clash of sparks and metal.