Learning Curve Chapter Seven
Finally, winter break is upon me and I can get caught up on my backlogged writing. Happy Dance (which is a kinda sad white girl dance)!!
He's going to offline me permanently was the phrase running through Red Alert's processor like a mantra as he stared at the very large Silverbolt standing in the doorway. He shook his helm when he realized Fireflight was answering his wing leader's question.
".....my wings and Red Alert offered to help." Fireflight was giving his superior the abridged PG version that tactfully left out the words "flaring energy fields".
Red Alert felt himself mentally flinch. Fireflight couldn't sound more unsure if he tried. And, he had a sneaking suspicion that Silverbolt didn't even need the gestalt bond to see through Fireflight.
Silverbolt stared at his teammate and the Security Director for a long moment trying to figure out a proper reply. Contrary to what many among the Autobots though, the Aerialbots were not naive sparklings who were oblivious to the world around them. He could tell that he had walked in on something more than the dislodging of dirt.
"Oh, well that was nice of Red Alert," was all Silverbolt chose to say aloud. Red Alert was an officer after all. :Fireflight, did I interrupt something?: He questioned over the bond.
:Just my wings being cleaned: Fireflight answered carefully. He wasn't sure where Silverbolt fell on the spectrum of his brothers hooking up with others in the wash racks and he really didn't want to find out.
:Is that what the kids are calling it these days?: Silverbolt asked using a phrase he had picked up from Sparkplug.
:Wha...what? I...we didn't...it's totally not what you're thinking.: Fireflight didn't realize until that moment someone could actually stumble over their words while using a bond.
:Last time I checked your wings were on your back and not your face.: Silverbolt's amusement increased as Fireflight became flustered. After the meeting he just got out of he needed all the amusement he could get. :Also, kinda close inspection wouldn't you say?:
Fireflight was saved from answering however when Red Alert suddenly seemed to remember he had a vocalizer. "I don't mind." Unidentifiable looks crossed both jets' faces. Red Alert realized that he had interrupted a silent conversation and his statement could and probably was being taken a number of ways.
"I think we managed to get most of it off. However, there is some debris near the joints on his left wing. I didn't want to dig too deeply and hurt him. Maybe you can take a look?" He held the cleaning cloth out to the larger Aerialbot.
Right. Hurt him, that traitorous voice was back in Red Alert's mind.
Mute it.
As Silverbolt accepted the cloth and stepped into the stall Red Alert stepped out of the stall and took several steps away. He had never been nervous around a larger 'bot before (and that was a very good thing since he was on the small side) and he didn't care for that feeling. Then again, he had never almost made out with an Aerialbot either. With Fireflight at that.
Red Alert suddenly made a connection that almost made him visibly shudder. Even though Vector Sigma created all five jets, at the same time, Fireflight took role of the youngest and Silverbolt acted as the oldest with the others falling in the middle. The Security Director didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if the situation was reversed and Sunstreaker had walked in. It would not have been pretty.
It only took a few moments for Silverbolt to work out the remaining debris and pronounced Fireflight clean enough. If he felt Fireflight's heightened energy field that wasn't quite back under control he didn't mention it. "Now, why don't you go check on the others? Ratchet said Skydive and Air Raid should be waking up soon. I'll clean up in here."
"What about Slings?" Fireflight asked as he flexed his wings. Yup, the left one was definitely better. He didn't want to know what had been lodged in it. Hopefully it hadn't been a small mammal.
"It's going to be a little longer with him," At Fireflight's stricken look he rushed to explain, "he skipped his last routine check and Ratchet is keeping him under to complete it. Now run along." Silverbolt made a shooing motion toward the door. “I‘m sure Red Alert has other matters to attend to as well.” The duo was almost at the door before Silverbolt sent one final message over their link. :And, 'Flight, we will talk later.:
Fireflight paused at the door and gave his leader a nod before slipping out. He had figured that.
Red was surprised to see Sunstreaker “lounging” against the Security Room’s door when he arrived there minutes later without Fireflight. Without a word, he let his eldest brother in and shut the door.
“Where’s ‘Flight?” Sunstreaker asked as soon as he settled into the spare chair. While Sideswipe wanted to adopt a wait and see approach, Sunstreaker was not going to take a chance. He would figure out what was going on between his younger brother and the flyer if he had to drag the truth out of one of them.
Red paused before finishing opening the monitor logs from the previous night. Again with the emphasis on Fireflight’s name. Well, Sunny had always been more aggressive than passive as Prowl was fond of pointing out. “Med bay. His brothers should be waking up soon.”
“That’s good,” Sunstreaker offered as he pulled up a game of free cell on an unused monitor. He somehow managed to sound sincere and bored at the same time.
“Yeah. He and Silverbolt were really worried,” Red Alert finally looked up from his monitor. It looked like Sunstreaker was settling in for a long while. “Something I can relate to.” He wasn't above sending his brother on a guilt trip if it got him a few minutes alone to figure out exactly what had happened over the course of the day.
“True,” Sunstreaker looked up and noticed how tired his brother looked. He turned his optics back to his game but his attention remained focused on Red Alert. Suddenly demanding to know what his brother was up to with the flyer didn’t seem like a bright idea. Maybe, and he would never admit it in a million vorns, Sideswipe was right about the wait and see approach.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Sunstreaker spoke up again. “Red, after your shift, do you want to play that new game Sides got?”
Red Alert briefly looked up from his monitor. He was tempted to say no. He was tired and video games weren’t his favorite thing. He also didn't feel like getting the third degree from both of his brother.
However, Sunstreaker had asked. Sunstreaker hardly asked him to do anything. It was up to Sideswipe to extend invitations to do anything special. It wasn't as if Sunstreaker didn't want to hang out with Red Alert. Sideswipe was just the one who did the inviting. “Sure, Sunny. I’ll comm when I’m off duty.”
Shortly after Sunstreaker left Red Alert alone to continue his shift in peace. Now his thoughts kept turning back to Fireflight and the wash racks. What had they been thinking? Flaring energy fields often led to other things. Things an officer definitely didn't want to be busted doing in public.
Another problem went by the name of Silverbolt. Red Alert didn’t believe for a moment that the Aerialbot leader was clueless as to exactly what had almost happened. What worried him was he didn't know what Silverbolt was planning on doing with that knowledge. He was positive the Concorde wouldn't blackmail him, but things could get awkward if things progressed. Would Silverbolt insist the lessons be chaperoned from now on?
After the visit to Med bay Fireflight aimlessly wandering around the Aerialbots' shared common room picking up various objects and putting them back down. He had started this ritual after Slingshot was injured badly for the first time shortly after they were created. It helped to reassure the F-4 that his brothers would be coming back.
Also, like Red Alert, he was trying to sort out his actions from earlier. He knew he should have warned Red about his sensors. He also knew he shouldn't have tried to manipulate his energy field. It just seemed like a good idea at the time and it felt good.
There was no doubt in his processor that he did have a crush on the Security Director. He knew Silverbolt would be the one he needed to convince if he was going to have a chance and he ran through the ever-evolving list of objections he felt Silverbolt could come up with and his counterarguments.
Red was older but he wasn't like Ironhide old. Red talked but he also listened. Red was best described as paranoid but he kept the entire Ark safe. And, he couldn't forget the twins. Fireflight had his fellow Aerialbots and he felt having to put up with Slingshot and his moods could prepare him for anything Sunstreaker and Sideswipe tried.
A small noise caught his attention and he looked up to see Silverbolt standing inside the common room. "Hi, 'Bolt."
"Hi, 'Flight," he took the smaller jet by the arm and led him to the oversized sofa and gently pushed him down. "'Flight, we've got some things we have to talk about."
Fireflight didn't like the tone Silverbolt used. Suddenly he knew without anything being said that there was something more going on. Before he could ask any questions Silverbolt continued. “As you know, I spent a great deal of time talking to Prowl and Optimus Prime today.”
“About what?” Fireflight’s voice was unsteady. He remembered that sinking feeling he had in the break room earlier. That was right after Prowl and Prime took Silverbolt off for another meeting. Red Alert had said Silverbolt was likely not in trouble. What if Red Alert was wrong?
“About all of us.”
AN: Anyone else think the Slingshot of fanon (and cannon to a degree) has a serious case of middle child syndrome? That's going to come up in a few chapters.
He's going to offline me permanently was the phrase running through Red Alert's processor like a mantra as he stared at the very large Silverbolt standing in the doorway. He shook his helm when he realized Fireflight was answering his wing leader's question.
".....my wings and Red Alert offered to help." Fireflight was giving his superior the abridged PG version that tactfully left out the words "flaring energy fields".
Red Alert felt himself mentally flinch. Fireflight couldn't sound more unsure if he tried. And, he had a sneaking suspicion that Silverbolt didn't even need the gestalt bond to see through Fireflight.
Silverbolt stared at his teammate and the Security Director for a long moment trying to figure out a proper reply. Contrary to what many among the Autobots though, the Aerialbots were not naive sparklings who were oblivious to the world around them. He could tell that he had walked in on something more than the dislodging of dirt.
"Oh, well that was nice of Red Alert," was all Silverbolt chose to say aloud. Red Alert was an officer after all. :Fireflight, did I interrupt something?: He questioned over the bond.
:Just my wings being cleaned: Fireflight answered carefully. He wasn't sure where Silverbolt fell on the spectrum of his brothers hooking up with others in the wash racks and he really didn't want to find out.
:Is that what the kids are calling it these days?: Silverbolt asked using a phrase he had picked up from Sparkplug.
:Wha...what? I...we didn't...it's totally not what you're thinking.: Fireflight didn't realize until that moment someone could actually stumble over their words while using a bond.
:Last time I checked your wings were on your back and not your face.: Silverbolt's amusement increased as Fireflight became flustered. After the meeting he just got out of he needed all the amusement he could get. :Also, kinda close inspection wouldn't you say?:
Fireflight was saved from answering however when Red Alert suddenly seemed to remember he had a vocalizer. "I don't mind." Unidentifiable looks crossed both jets' faces. Red Alert realized that he had interrupted a silent conversation and his statement could and probably was being taken a number of ways.
"I think we managed to get most of it off. However, there is some debris near the joints on his left wing. I didn't want to dig too deeply and hurt him. Maybe you can take a look?" He held the cleaning cloth out to the larger Aerialbot.
Right. Hurt him, that traitorous voice was back in Red Alert's mind.
Mute it.
As Silverbolt accepted the cloth and stepped into the stall Red Alert stepped out of the stall and took several steps away. He had never been nervous around a larger 'bot before (and that was a very good thing since he was on the small side) and he didn't care for that feeling. Then again, he had never almost made out with an Aerialbot either. With Fireflight at that.
Red Alert suddenly made a connection that almost made him visibly shudder. Even though Vector Sigma created all five jets, at the same time, Fireflight took role of the youngest and Silverbolt acted as the oldest with the others falling in the middle. The Security Director didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if the situation was reversed and Sunstreaker had walked in. It would not have been pretty.
It only took a few moments for Silverbolt to work out the remaining debris and pronounced Fireflight clean enough. If he felt Fireflight's heightened energy field that wasn't quite back under control he didn't mention it. "Now, why don't you go check on the others? Ratchet said Skydive and Air Raid should be waking up soon. I'll clean up in here."
"What about Slings?" Fireflight asked as he flexed his wings. Yup, the left one was definitely better. He didn't want to know what had been lodged in it. Hopefully it hadn't been a small mammal.
"It's going to be a little longer with him," At Fireflight's stricken look he rushed to explain, "he skipped his last routine check and Ratchet is keeping him under to complete it. Now run along." Silverbolt made a shooing motion toward the door. “I‘m sure Red Alert has other matters to attend to as well.” The duo was almost at the door before Silverbolt sent one final message over their link. :And, 'Flight, we will talk later.:
Fireflight paused at the door and gave his leader a nod before slipping out. He had figured that.
Red was surprised to see Sunstreaker “lounging” against the Security Room’s door when he arrived there minutes later without Fireflight. Without a word, he let his eldest brother in and shut the door.
“Where’s ‘Flight?” Sunstreaker asked as soon as he settled into the spare chair. While Sideswipe wanted to adopt a wait and see approach, Sunstreaker was not going to take a chance. He would figure out what was going on between his younger brother and the flyer if he had to drag the truth out of one of them.
Red paused before finishing opening the monitor logs from the previous night. Again with the emphasis on Fireflight’s name. Well, Sunny had always been more aggressive than passive as Prowl was fond of pointing out. “Med bay. His brothers should be waking up soon.”
“That’s good,” Sunstreaker offered as he pulled up a game of free cell on an unused monitor. He somehow managed to sound sincere and bored at the same time.
“Yeah. He and Silverbolt were really worried,” Red Alert finally looked up from his monitor. It looked like Sunstreaker was settling in for a long while. “Something I can relate to.” He wasn't above sending his brother on a guilt trip if it got him a few minutes alone to figure out exactly what had happened over the course of the day.
“True,” Sunstreaker looked up and noticed how tired his brother looked. He turned his optics back to his game but his attention remained focused on Red Alert. Suddenly demanding to know what his brother was up to with the flyer didn’t seem like a bright idea. Maybe, and he would never admit it in a million vorns, Sideswipe was right about the wait and see approach.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Sunstreaker spoke up again. “Red, after your shift, do you want to play that new game Sides got?”
Red Alert briefly looked up from his monitor. He was tempted to say no. He was tired and video games weren’t his favorite thing. He also didn't feel like getting the third degree from both of his brother.
However, Sunstreaker had asked. Sunstreaker hardly asked him to do anything. It was up to Sideswipe to extend invitations to do anything special. It wasn't as if Sunstreaker didn't want to hang out with Red Alert. Sideswipe was just the one who did the inviting. “Sure, Sunny. I’ll comm when I’m off duty.”
Shortly after Sunstreaker left Red Alert alone to continue his shift in peace. Now his thoughts kept turning back to Fireflight and the wash racks. What had they been thinking? Flaring energy fields often led to other things. Things an officer definitely didn't want to be busted doing in public.
Another problem went by the name of Silverbolt. Red Alert didn’t believe for a moment that the Aerialbot leader was clueless as to exactly what had almost happened. What worried him was he didn't know what Silverbolt was planning on doing with that knowledge. He was positive the Concorde wouldn't blackmail him, but things could get awkward if things progressed. Would Silverbolt insist the lessons be chaperoned from now on?
After the visit to Med bay Fireflight aimlessly wandering around the Aerialbots' shared common room picking up various objects and putting them back down. He had started this ritual after Slingshot was injured badly for the first time shortly after they were created. It helped to reassure the F-4 that his brothers would be coming back.
Also, like Red Alert, he was trying to sort out his actions from earlier. He knew he should have warned Red about his sensors. He also knew he shouldn't have tried to manipulate his energy field. It just seemed like a good idea at the time and it felt good.
There was no doubt in his processor that he did have a crush on the Security Director. He knew Silverbolt would be the one he needed to convince if he was going to have a chance and he ran through the ever-evolving list of objections he felt Silverbolt could come up with and his counterarguments.
Red was older but he wasn't like Ironhide old. Red talked but he also listened. Red was best described as paranoid but he kept the entire Ark safe. And, he couldn't forget the twins. Fireflight had his fellow Aerialbots and he felt having to put up with Slingshot and his moods could prepare him for anything Sunstreaker and Sideswipe tried.
A small noise caught his attention and he looked up to see Silverbolt standing inside the common room. "Hi, 'Bolt."
"Hi, 'Flight," he took the smaller jet by the arm and led him to the oversized sofa and gently pushed him down. "'Flight, we've got some things we have to talk about."
Fireflight didn't like the tone Silverbolt used. Suddenly he knew without anything being said that there was something more going on. Before he could ask any questions Silverbolt continued. “As you know, I spent a great deal of time talking to Prowl and Optimus Prime today.”
“About what?” Fireflight’s voice was unsteady. He remembered that sinking feeling he had in the break room earlier. That was right after Prowl and Prime took Silverbolt off for another meeting. Red Alert had said Silverbolt was likely not in trouble. What if Red Alert was wrong?
“About all of us.”
AN: Anyone else think the Slingshot of fanon (and cannon to a degree) has a serious case of middle child syndrome? That's going to come up in a few chapters.