Don't Save Me Ch.13
Summary: Bumblebee and Ashfire have a moment which leads to confusion and doubt. Galloway is an ass.
Rating: T
Warnings: eh
/ comlink/
-thoughts-
Second to None by Styles of Beyond
Ecstasy by ATB
Prowl watched his creation. It had been three months since the incident with Jazz and she was becoming restless. He knew she didn't want him to be affected by the fight and did her best to be somewhat civil to the saboteur, most of the time. She did make derogatory comments and threw insults at Jazz as he did the same to her, but never if Prowl was around.
Other than the obvious tension between her and his mate, the femme had behaved herself. Of course it wouldn't last long if an outlet for her frustration wasn't found soon. There were already enough complications with her stay on base. The Autobots behaved very differently than the mechs she was used to associating with. Needless to say the differences were stressful for her to deal with.
For now, she seemed content to fiddle with a rubix cube. Only Primus knew why since the most challenging part of the cube was the size of it. Glancing to the spot next to her, he noticed that there were five completed cubes and a box of undone cubes next to her. Where was she getting them?
"What are you planning to do with the rubix cubes?" Prowl asked.
The femme shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just bored." She set the now completed cube with her pile of completed cubes. "Maybe I'll make a life size version of Ironhide with them and use it for target practice." She picked up another cube.
Prowl sighed. It was no secret that Ironhide had no love for the femme and vice versa. There were few she was willing to associate with for long periods of time. Those few consisted mainly of him, Bumblebee, and Ratchet. Although he doubted that having contests on who could cuss the most creatively was really associating with the medic. She didn't mind Jolt or Sideswipe much, but he suspected that was only due to the fact that when they were together, they weren't focused on watching her.
Bumblebee was a different matter. He often left her in the company of the young, yellow scout. It seemed that Bee was the only mech Prowl could trust to watch the femme and not be put off by her past or her demeanor. However, there was that small wriggling in the back of his processor that said he should be wary of how much time the two spent together.
It was obvious to the older bots and many of the humans that Bumblebee was attracted to the femme. And she made no move to discourage him. It was hard to say whether it was cause she felt the same or she was just amused by it. Not to mention that she had given the young mech her name. Well, not her actual name, but one of the names she's gone by. It just seemed to add insult to injury that she had taken to playing music through her speakers when she was with anyone other than Bee or him. A habit he knew for certain she picked up from the camaro.
Prowl checked the time. Damn, where had the time gone? He would have to attend another meeting with Prime and Galloway. Why couldn't something just happen to that irritating human? A sigh escaped the tactician he would have to com Bumblebee to watch over his creation. Recalling his musings over the yellow scout a few moments ago, Prowl wasn't keen on the thought, but who else could he trust to do it?
Prowl opened a com link to Bee. /Prowl to Bumblebee. /
/ Bumblebee here. /
/I have a meeting in a few minutes and I need…/
/You need me to watch Ashfire? / Bumblebee interrupted, trying to keep the eager note out of his voice. He failed.
/Affirmative. / Prowl responded with a frown. Now he was sure he needed to keep an optic on the two young bots.
/ I'll be there soon. / The com switched off. Prowl turned to look at the femme again. She was looking at him with an optic ridge raised.
"The meeting will start soon." Prowl says to answer her unspoken question.
"With that annoying gnat again?" Gnat was her nicest nickname for Galloway.
"Yes."
"Why don't you just step on him and be done with it?" the femme says, picking up her seventh rubix cube. "I'll bet you a ship's worth of energon the humans won't miss him either."
Prowl smiled. "Galloway isn't loved, but government officials would notice if he were to go missing while on our base."
She snorted. "Whatever. Do what you want. I still think you're better off with him gone though." Prowl chuckled. It seemed Galloway had a gift of making people hate him. When the humans were told she would be staying on base, the members of NEST were fine with it after Will and Epps assured them it would be all right. Of course, they had to be made aware of the relationship between the femme and Prowl, but once they knew, they were fine with it. Galloway wasn't. He even went as far as to demand a meeting with the ex-Decepticon. Optimus granted it to him after spending three weeks listening to the liaison bitch and moan.
Needless to say the femme did not take to Galloway. It wasn't long before she was using her word games to infuriate the man, smirking as she did so. It was difficult for Prowl to keep his face emotionless at Galloway's frustration. Her teasing even caused some of the soldiers to laugh at Galloway's expense.
As soon as Galloway turned to yell at the soldiers, the femme proceeded to dangle her foot over his head, acting like she was about to step on him. Causing laughter from the soldiers, amusement from the Autobots, and more yelling from Galloway. Optimus did step in after a couple minutes and stop the meeting and the femme from squishing Galloway. Prowl had endeavored to keep her away from the liaison ever since.
A knock came from the door. "Enter," Prowl called. The door opened to reveal Bumblebee.
"Sir," Bumblebee said with a nod, acknowledging Prowl. He then turned to look at the white form still fiddling with a rubix cube. "Hey Ashfire."
The femme set down the now completed cube. How many had she done now, eight or nine?
"Hello lil Bee." The femme greeted her tone suspiciously light and airy. "It's your turn to play my keeper now isn't it?"
"Well I wouldn't say that." Bumblebee replied sheepishly. He would have said more, but he was painfully aware of Prowl's gaze on him. It was kind of scary to say the least.
"Let's go to the training room. Maybe I'll beat my record and pin you down five times, lil Bee." The femme said standing up, walking to the door. She turned her head to look at Prowl. "Enjoy your meeting Creator."
Prowl nodded his head and watched the two young bots walk out of his office. He would definitely need to keep an optic on those two.
Bumblebee watched the femme carefully as she circled him. Sparring with her had become a normal thing for him. Sadly, he didn't win very often. He wasn't sure how she did it, but one minute she'd be five feet in front of him and then appear inches away from his body. It wasn't fast like that one racer, Blurr. It was more subtle than that. Almost like smoke.
"You're not paying attention." Ashfire said. Really if he wasn't going to try, there was no need to go easy on him. She moved.
The world seemed to turn as one moment Bumblebee was preparing to strike and the next his face first on the floor, his arms held back and Ashfire straddling his hips. Bumblebee squirmed hoping to dislodge the femme and free his arms. Heat travelled up his spine and he shivered as she chuckled and tightened her grip.
"What happened, Bee?" The femme teased. She got too much amusement from messing with the yellow scout. "Yield and maybe I'll let you go."
Oh, there was no way he would let her win this easily. Not today. "Never," Bumblebee replied.
This was new. Bumblebee could banter, barely, but he never did it while they were sparring. This could be interesting. "What makes you think you can last against me?"
Bumblebee grinned as he turned on his speakers. He couldn't help it, this song was just great.
It's the real authentic
Leave ya'll dented
Forget what ya heard
If I said it, I meant it
Did it for real
While ya'll pretended
Back for more
Startin' the war to end it
Raw
Rippin' like I'm working a chainsaw
New York to Cali
New Jersey to Crenshaw
Speak the gift while you plead the fifth
My team is sick
We eat, sleep, and breathe this shit
Rough and rugged
Kill 'em soft
We don't leave one standin' when we breakin' 'em off
Takin' a loss?
Not a chance in your life
If being fresh is wrong, I don't wanna be right
Stop, drop, and roll
We got soul
Safe to pop off when we lock and load
So this how we get this done
You can check on the rep, yep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
The femme cocked her head. She had grown use to Bumblebee and his radio talk. She even got use of her own radio back. It took time to find what she wanted, but it was possible to use it to interact like Bee did. However, there was no way she would let the mech get away with this. Perhaps it was time to change tactics. Leaning close, she blew air from her vents to fan across yellow doorwings. She smirked as the doorwings shuddered.
Bumblebee's optics widened as he felt the tickling sensation on his doorwings. She wasn't…
"Wait, what are you…"
"If you won't yield, you might as well enjoy this." Ashfire said, her voice too smug as she pressed her chest to Bumblebee's back and activated her own radio.
Have you ever noticed,
That I'm not acting as I used to do before?
Have you ever wondered,
Why I always keep on coming back for more?
What have you done to me,
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)
You really are my ecstasy
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)
Bumblebee shuddered as the beat shook his body. He could feel heat where her body touched his. It moved in waves as it spread from his back to his fingers and pedes. He couldn't believe this was really happening. If someone were to walk in right now, was it wrong that the thought of someone walking in just made him hotter?
Not that I'm complaining,
A more beautiful vision - I have never seen
If you don't mind me saying,
A lifelong ambition to fulfill my dream
What have you done to me,
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
"Do you yield?" Ashfire asked, her grip on his arms tightening.
"N-no." Bumblebee stammered.
"Alright then." She replied and increased the volume.
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
I'll never be the same I'll tell you for sure
You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah
You really are my ecstasy,
My real life fantasy (oh yeah)
-Strange- the femme thought. She had thought this would disturb the mech. Instead he seemed to be enjoying it, or rather he was trying not to but his body was betraying him. Maybe little Bumblebee wasn't as innocent as she thought. Still, this wasn't meant to bring pleasure to him. "Do you yield now?" Ashfire asked.
Bumblebee tried to speak. His vocalizer had cut out. He was trying to reset it, then his fans whirred on.
You really are my ecstasy
(There can be no other While we still have each other)
My real life fantasy (There can be no other
While we still have each other)
He couldn't take this anymore. It didn't feel bad and that was the problem. He shouldn't be enjoying this. He shouldn't be enjoying how powerless he was to Ashfire, and yet here he was. Face down on the floor with her body pressed against his.
Ashfire was becoming frustrated. This wasn't working out the way she planned. She wanted to embarrass the scout into submission. She wanted to feed on his mortification, not his pleasure. This slight tingle in her spark was confusing her. This was not what she wanted.
You really are my ecstasy,
(I'll never be the same,
I'll tell you for sure)
"Yield, now!" she hissed. Bumblebee would yield or so help her. "Do you yield?"
"Yes," Bee moaned, too torn to bother with his pride.
With a click the femme turned off her radio and released him. Bumblebee blinked in surprise. What happened? Stiffly he sat up, looking over his shoulder to find Ashfire. The femme had moved several feet away. Her armor seemed to gleam as she studied him with a thoughtful expression on her face. Bumblebee shivered as he looked into those red optics. He would never get used to the way she could stare right through him.
"Ashfire?" Bee called, unsure of the situation.
The femme snorted. She didn't want to think about what just happened with the annoying mech. "I need to refuel." She said, needing something, anything to distract her.
Bumblebee nodded. The rec room sounded like the best place in the world right now. Hopefully it would distract him from the thick cloud of tension between Ashfire and him.
Optimus sighed as Galloway rant about the Decepticon on base. Again. Galloway had to have some sort of inferiority complex. He just wouldn't let this go. The prime took a quick glance at Prowl.
The black and white mech was as stoic as ever, but centuries with the tactician let Optimus guess his moods based on the arch of his doorwings. Prowl was holding his sensory panels high and stiff. He was annoyed. In the short time the femme was here, it became obvious to the Prime that Prowl would become highly protective of his offspring the second he sensed any danger towards her. He would need to end this quickly.
"I understand your concerns," Optimus said respectfully to the liaison. Tact and patience were needed to end this meeting. "However the femme has defected from the Decepticons and is very young by our standards. Our race is few in numbers, Galloway we can't just turn her over to your government or execute her."
"Then why don't you lock her up?" The little man shouted for the thousandth time.
"She is not out prisoner." Optimus responded.
"And yet you have your Autobots watching her all hours of the day." Galloway sent back, looking entirely too smug.
"That is for her protection as much as it is for yours."
"How can you defend her?" Galloway asked frustrated. Why were these stupid machines refusing to see reason. She was a Decepticon she had to be locked away or destroyed. "You claim to have been at war with the Decepticons for millions of years. How can you just accept one intoo your ranks with open arms?"
"Part of ending our war begins with forgiveness." The Prime responded. "It will difficult but it must be done." In his spark, Optimus knew this to be true. If only others knew this. If only Prowl knew it and would begin to forgive himself. Optimus could not stop but feel sorry for his friend as memories of Barricade plagued him.
"Forgiveness? How can you forgive someone when you know nothing about them? You don't even know her name. At least give us some information about the 'femme' so we can take precautions."
Ah, now Galloway's true intentions came out. Government officials were always trying to get something from them. What he really wanted were her body specs. The humans have been dying to get a hold of them for ages.
Before Optimus could say anything Prowl cut in. "She responds to the designation Ashfire and any information she gives us, militant or personal, will be received when she feels ready to share it. Not when you demand it."
"How dare…" And Galloway was off on another of his rants. Eventually, the man talked himself out and left the base in a huff.
Optimus sighed. Knowing Galloway there would be trouble later. But right now he was more concerned about Prowl. Already the human personnel were clearing out the hangar leaving Prowl and Optimus alone in the hangar. Optimus cleared his throat to get the tactician's attention. Prowl made no move, clearly lost in his own thoughts.
The Prime strode over to Prowl and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Prowl."
Prowl jumped at the touch and turned his attention to the larger mech. "Optimus, sir. My apologies I was thinking."
"I could tell." Optimus chuckled. "Are you all right?"
"Of course, it will take much more than Galloway to bother me." Prowl responded.
Prime nodded. "I understand things haven't been easy for you the last few months."
"No they haven't." Prowl agreed. "But I will work through it. It's the only thing I can do."
"Just remember you're not alone." Optimus told Prowl squeezing his shoulder. "I am here anytime you need me, my friend."
Prowl reached up and gave a returning squeeze to the hand on his shoulder. "Thank you Optimus. I appreciate it."
It was night now as the femme laid on her berth. She browsed the internet for the bit to ease the boredom, but even that lost its charm after a few hours. Her mind kept wandering back to what happened in the training room. Why did she do that? What was that warmth in her spark as she watched Bee tremble at her mercy? It wasn't the same cold, empowering feeling she got during her missions. It was different.
During the last three months she still found Bumblebee's innocence strange. It almost seemed to call to her. Begging to ripped apart, shredded, or cared for, cherished. A growl escaped her throat. It needed to be one way or another. There could be no contradictions, no paradoxes. She did not survive by cherishing the innocent.
She would crush lil' Bee. That was it. She would take his innocence and obliterate it. Then she would bathe herself in his shame and anger. She would. She would. She would.
She wouldn't. She wouldn't destroy the mech and she knew it. Not while she was dependent on the Autobots. Not while Prowl was trying to connect with her. Yes, she knew that was the reason behind his support. Stupid fool probably believed he did wrong by her while being Barricade. She didn't understand why he felt bad about it. Barricade had prepared her for a life as a soldier. Yes, horrible things did happen to her, but those events were out of his control. Barricade had raised her, the best he knew how, that wasn't a crime. Oh wait, to self righteous Autobots it was. The pretentious bastards.
She closed her optics and began to initiate her recharge cycle. There was no point in contemplating her life anymore. It was just making her angry. Maybe tomorrow she could at least find something amusing to do without feeling this confusion twist her mind and soul like the sweetest poison.