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A/N The original premise for this story was killed by a beta who told me that only uptight prunes had that issue. Well, now here's another uptight prune issue: I've SO had this fight. Not, alas, with a hot sentient jet. Nor did it turn out as well.

Don't worry: Next week--Barricade/June/...Blackout?! Oh the perviness will be back, my friends.

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“I came,” the jet said, apologetically, “As soon as I was flight capable. I have not even been cleared for combat.”

“I’m sorry,” Jennifer said, but truth was, she was scared. That awful other robot, the one who had mutilated Starscream, had been after her. First, calling her cell phone, then, when she shut it off, tearing out the battery in case he had some kind of override like Barricade had for the node, following her around campus. She’d been terrified. She’d wanted nothing more than to call Starscream, get him down here, to protect her. But that was sheer selfishness, she knew. He was so injured, and the last thing he probably wanted was to confront that horrible Autobot again. He had enough of his own worries…and the Autobot hadn’t actually done anything. He hadn’t touched her, beyond what it took to drop a small plasticy shape in her hands when he’d finally cornered her that night behind the Student Union. As if he found even touching her distasteful. He’d managed a rough, “Here,” as he thrust it in her hands, and then spun off in his vehicle mode.

She had no choice after that—she’d called Starscream. He’d just warmed up a lecture about not contacting him sooner, before he cut himself off. “I shall,” he had said, “be there shortly.”

That was a bit over two hours ago. She couldn’t do the math, but that seemed pretty good time, and probably an outright violation of physics.

“Do not apologize again, Jennifer human. It grows tedious. And you have done nothing wrong save not keep me informed. But I have been told that repeatedly informing you of this error will not cause you to redress it.”

“Who told you that?”

“Barricade.” He looked unhappy. “He knows…what he knows.” He’d been talking to Barricade? About her? She wasn’t sure she liked this.

“Oh. Is, uh, is he okay?” Halfway between polite inquiry and wondering what Starscream had done to him.

“Barricade is fully functional. He is upset that he is stuck on the ship and I am here.” He smirked. “I suspect he misses his own xeno.”

“You didn’t…?”

“Barricade has been reprimanded.” He caught her look. “I did not hurt him, Jennifer human. But I told him that the reason I did not was solely that it would upset you. However, he has suddenly and temporarily had his down-shifts replaced by gravitational systems maintenance work so he has had no chance to go off ship.” He crouched down closer to her. “Now, where did he touch you?”

She shifted, uncomfortably. It wasn’t a big deal, well, not this big a deal. “It’s nothing.”

“I shall decide that. Where did he touch you?”

She felt the flutter of discomfort turn to a brief flare of anger. “It happened to me; it’s not your problem.”

His eyes narrowed. “Jennifer human,” he said, his tone warning. His hands bunched into prickly-looking fists.

“I’m not your possession!”

“I am aware of that,” he said, his eyes flaring. He forced his hands to unclench. “If it were your problem alone, Jennifer, how would you reprimand him if he transgressed? He is not well-armed, but he could easily hurt you.”

Good point. Damn. “It’s still not this big a deal.”

“Then why do you not satisfy my curiosity? Allow me to see what not a big deal it is. It shall eat away at me until you do.”

She sighed. “All right. I was upset because you were so…oh, I don’t want to remember that part. I was crying. He kept trying to talk reason to me—that you guys got repaired all the time and you were still online and coherent and he’d seen guys get hurt way worse and all that, but, well, I guess I wasn’t really listening. So we pulled off the side of the road and he, well, he changed, and kinda hugged me.”

“What is a ‘kinda hug’? I am unfamiliar with this custom.”

“Just a hug.”

His eyes were dubious. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Like this?” he asked. Her face was inches from his. She wondered if she kissed him she could make him forget. No—he’d probably see right through that.

“Kind of.”

“I should like more precision.” Maybe the kiss wasn’t such a bad idea. She sighed.

“One hand was lower.” He moved his hand to the small of her back. “This low?” “Uhhh, lower.” She felt his ventilation hiss. “THIS low?” His hand cupped her backside. “Yeah, uhh, just about there.”

“Just about.”

“Well, uhhh, one of his fingers—“ She really didn’t want to describe this part—how he’d slipped one of his long talons between her shorts and her skin, cool and intrusive between her legs.

He hissed like an angry cat, loud in her ear. “Do not tell me,” he said, suddenly. “Tell me about his other hand.” She could feel him try to master some kind of rage.

“Just about there.”

“Just about,” the jet repeated.

“Well, until he….” Oh shit.

“Until. He.”

She tried to turn away. He caught her chin with one finger, turning her gaze back to his. His large red eyes whirled in front of her. “Until he,” he prompted.

“He,” she felt tears and a blush race to her face. “It was just a little kiss.” The jet’s hands tightened, unaware for a moment that he was digging his talons into the flesh of her backside and thigh. “I—I told him to stop and he did.”

“Did he?”

“Yes,” She looked down. He released his grip on her slowly.

“Jennifer.”

“It’s no big deal. He was letting me go and he kind of copped a feel at my chest.”

“And how is this maneuver done?” He withdrew a few inches, staring at her chest with suppressed anger.

She demonstrated, lifting and squeezing one of her breasts. “See? Just squishing it.”

“It is not his to squish,” the jet said, completely oblivious to how silly that sounded.

She felt tears on her cheeks, hot and embarrassed. “Please don’t be mad at me?”

He looked at her for a long moment, then tightened his arms around her. “Jennifer human, I am not angry at you. This is why, though, I must intervene. And why you must tell me these things.”

“You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

“I have not yet decided,” he said, coldly.

“He rescued you,” she reminded him. Honestly this wasn’t a big deal. She’d worked as a cocktail waitress her senior year—guys copping cheap feels and trying to steal kisses weren’t fun, but they weren’t her idea of a capital crime. You go home, you take a shower, you post something about dirtbag men on your Facebook, and go back to life as usual. It WAS life as usual.

“I shall decide later. Right now, though.” He tucked the datatrack into a small storage compartment. His gaze became a little sly. “I am, I presume, superior to him in kissing.”

A feeble smile. “I think so.” She tried to look cheeky. “Maybe I need a reminder?”

He brushed her mouth with his, his glossa gently probing between her lips. She brought one hand up to stroke his face. Oh this was so weird, part of her mind said, but it felt so good—the same sort of shivering tremble she got as a teenager getting her first kiss. He was so big, so powerful, so dangerous—and yet always so gentle with her. “Enough of a reminder?” he murmured.

Her smile was stronger now. “Yes. And yes.” Barricade’s kiss had been more of a surprise than anything, less gentle. Not violent, but not as tender as the jet’s.

“And the squishing? I should do this?”

“If you want.”

He tentatively circled one of her breasts with one clawed hand—her breast looked so small by contrast. Yeah, the same breasts that got her moo’d at in the halls in high school. Now, they looked tiny. He prodded it, gently. She giggled. “It’s not that fragile.”

“May I see it? Without these irritating intervening garments you insist upon wearing, despite my obvious wishes?”

She took a quick glance around—they were in the arboretum, at 4 in the morning. No one was around. Oh, good thinking, Jennifer—don’t worry about being seen with a talking jet. Don’t worry about being seen kissing a talking jet. Worry about getting topless. Brilliant. Just brilliant. Snickering at herself, she stripped off her blouse and unhooked her bra. “What is the purpose of these things?” he asked, curious.

“Don’t know. Think they’re supposed to be attractive to the opposite sex.”

“They are rather…,” he tilted his head, tracing one talon around her breast in a cool spiral that ended with a delicate prod at her nipple that made her squeak, “fascinating. At least your reaction is. I suspect their function might be your arousal.” He pulled her close again, feeling the warmth of her bare skin against the cool armor of his upper chest, as warm soft circles. He kissed her again. “I am,” he breathed, regretfully, “not cleared to use my module yet.”

“Oh,” she said. “We should stop now.” From what she understood, getting aroused without release was painful for him.

“No,” he said. “I want to understand your physiology better.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Sex for science?”

“Yes,” he said, flatly, as if it made perfect sense. He seemed confused by her laughter. He covered his confusion and stopped her laughter by kissing her again, trailing one hand down the line of her spine, stopping under her backside. She could feel two long, cool fingers trace paths up under her skirt, between her thighs. She quivered against him. “Is this,” he breathed, “what Barricade did?”

“Don’t remember,” she lied. “I’m trying really, really hard not to think of him right now.”

He paused, looking at her with a bemused expression. “That,” he said, finally, “is an excellent idea that I shall emulate.” His talons prodded at her crotch, gently but insistently. “You are wearing the frustrating undergarment again, as well,” he muttered. “You do not listen to my requests.” It seemed only polite to give in on this one. She shimmied out of her panties and skirt. Why not go all the way? Really that much worse to be caught naked with a robot than just topless? “Better?” she said.

“Very much,” he breathed, his eyes spiralling wide.

“You know,” she said, feeling the night air chill and a little damp on her skin, “We can’t do this for much longer.”

He pulled back. “Why can we not?”

“It’ll get cold soon.” She moved and cold dew from a shrub brushed her calf, as if to prove her point.

“Temperature fluctuates, yes?” He wasn’t seeing her point.

“Can’t exactly get naked in a blizzard.”

“Technically it seems possible?” God he was so DENSE.

“I mean,” she said, “Humans get cold. It’s a little uncomfortable.”

“Is that all? Jennifer human, I have heat generators. Are you uncomfortable from the cold now? I can demonstrate?”

“No, I’m fine. Really.” She reached forward and stroked his cheek. “I’d tell you.”

“You would not, and that is the problem, Jennifer human. You tell me nothing. Until it is too late for me to assist you.” He seemed almost angry.

“I don’t need assistance. Guys do it all the time—the groping stuff.” She couldn’t go running to her big killer robot every time someone gave her the pervy eye, for god’s sake. She was already regretting contacting him now. Especially how it was going right now. She wanted to kiss him, to put this back on track. Somehow. She reached forward, one hand to his jaw, stroking the chevroned plates of his cheeks, the ones she’d first seen dangling and loose and…hurt.

“Many things that happen all the time are not right, Jennifer.” His voice took on a lecturing tone. Trying to be the leader. “Have others touched you like this in your life?” His hands tightened into fists.

“Can we talk about something else?” Her hand slipped off his jaw. He hadn’t even noticed she was touching him. So wrapped up in his macho caveman trip. Why had she thought just because he was a robot he’d be above that?

“No one should touch you against your will, Jennifer human.” The high and mighty tone was really getting to her now. “You should not allow it.”

“Oh, right. Just like you don’t,” she snapped hotly. Immediately she clapped her hands over mouth, as if she could snatch the words out of the air.

He flinched, his eyes dimming suddenly. “I…” he began, then trailed off, his mouth open in shock. Jennifer felt horrible. “I—it is not the same.”

“Explain to me how it’s different.” Maybe it was a good idea to get this out in the open. “Please,” she added, trying to soften the demand.

“It just…is.” He ducked his head. “Jennifer, I cannot explain why it must be the way it is. It is an ugly thing. I do not wish to share ugly things with you.”

“Isn’t that what you expect of me?”

Another stunned silence. “Of course, but…Jennifer human.” He ventilated, making a new start. “It cannot be changed. You cannot change it. What good does it do to tell you?”

“I’d know!”

“And what good would it do for you to know, Jennifer human? It would not make you happier. It might make you unhappy. And…” his voice faded, “It would make you think less of me.”

Jennifer felt her skin flush in the night air. She shook her head, staring at him, tears burning in her eyes. He didn’t understand. This wasn’t the usual linguistic difficulty. That, she could deal with. This…she didn’t have the equipment to deal with. Sure, only show the good parts. Right. Hide all the bad stuff. Only see what I want you to see. Don’t look behind the curtain. Her lip quivered as she stooped to grab her clothes, jerking them on, not caring when her shirt lost a button, or that her skirt was inside out. Let everyone think she was another drunk girl staggering home from a frat party.

“Jennifer,” he asked, his voice shaky. “What are you doing?”

“Look, I can’t do this right now. You want more out of me than you are willing to give.” She bent down to fix the ankle straps of her sandals. “You have your stupid data thingie, right? That’s what you came here for. So.”

She heard a sound like a growl. “That is NOT what I came here for.” His talons had punctured deep gouges in the bed of the arboretum.

“Oh, right. You came to get laid. Right? Who fucking cares what the girl you’re fucking wants, right? As long as you get what you want?” She felt her face go red and blotchy from tears. Yeah, if he didn’t think she was ugly before, he was seeing it now. Inside and out. “God fucking forbid you even give me a chance.” She ground her eyelids together.

His hands swung around her, and hesitated, as though he wanted to snatch her up, but thought better of it. “Jennifer human,” he said, picking his words carefully. “This is illogical. I did not come here to,” he cocked his head as if the words tasted strange, “get laid. I cannot in my present condition. I came to see you. I want to see you. I want to talk to you.” His hands opened flat, the barbs on the back biting into the ground. “I missed being with you.”

Her fingers shook as she tried to button her shirt. “I can’t do this.” This stupid shirt, or…this.

He dropped to the ground, hard enough that the ground shook. “Jennifer human. What have I done wrong?” He risked a touch of one talon on her arm. “What can you not do?”

“I can’t tell you…everything and have you decide, like you’re the one in fucking charge, what you will or will not tell me. I can’t do that.” She tried to wipe tears from her eyes, sniffling wetly.

“I want…you, Jennifer human. I want you to be safe. To be…happy. It is important to me. I cannot explain this.”

“Yeah, well. Thanks for not even trying,” she said, bitterly. She lifted his talon off her arm.

“No.” His hands closed around her. “Do not leave me.”

She felt a cold rage through her. How dare he. After all that big thing about no one touching her against her will. Goddam hypocrite. “Let go of me.”

His hands released her immediately. “Jennifer,” he said, his voice agonized. “Do not leave. Please.”

Her whole body was shaking with rage and despair. Oh god, she was fucking things up. Big time. She didn’t want to be this hard. But she couldn’t…she couldn’t be the only one letting down walls here. If he was going to throw up walls, he’d damn well see she could too.

“What?” he asked, his voice shaky. “What is it you want me to do? Tell me how to fix this. Please.”

“I don’t know!” she cried. And it was true. She didn’t know what she wanted. No, she did know. She wanted to erase the last ten minutes. Delete them like words on a document. Unsay words. Go back and start this whole night over again. Even then, did she really know what she’d do differently? Could she put a finger on it and say, here, yes. Here is where I would make the change and everything would fall out right? Go back in time. But even he would admit he couldn’t do that.

She turned away, rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand. Like an idiot. A blotchy, snotty crying idiot.

“I do know,” he murmured. A bluish light from behind her, penetrating her tears. “Jennifer, please?” All she had to do was turn around. All she had to do was reach out to him. Touch the warm sparkling static from his exposed spark chamber. Reach out, beyond words, and all the failing blind corners words ran down into.

She turned, her tears glistening in the light of his spark chamber, blue and gold. Entirely open, entirely vulnerable. To her. For her.

“You shall know everything,” he breathed, reaching for her.