28 Twins: LWA-style
Title: 28 Twins 11/28: Words
Rating: PG
Characters: Sideswipe, Optimus
Summary: Sideswipe confronts Optimus about having to help Wheeljack with Kree's file. (try saying that ten times fast)
Author's notes: Awesome title is awesome. Second part of mmouse15's "different sides" prompt. This occurs after the first part of chapter 10 of LWA.
He wanted to work on the file, he really did, but there was one thing he had to find out first. If he didn't, the unknowing would distract him while he worked, and him plus distractions didn't equal productivity. So he squared his shoulders--partially to put himself into a more aggressive stance, partially to remind himself yet again of the wonderful feeling of having working boosters once more--opened the door, and strode into the room.
"What did you tell Wheeljack?" That came out much more cross-sounding than he had intended. Then again, this wasn't a subject he dealt with lightly, so perhaps a more stern tone would get his point across more quickly.
Optimus glanced up from the console he had been examining. "You do realize you're in the officers' lounge, don't you?" he asked.
Sideswipe gave a snort through his vents. "You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?"
The Autobot commander was far more gracious than Xeon had been when it came to insubordinate behavior. As in, Optimus wouldn't put a shock collar around Sideswipe's neck for his statement. "There are other, and more proper, ways of getting my attention."
"But they aren't my way. Now what'd you tell him?"
"I told him you would be the most likely mech on the base who could help him decipher his file," Optimus said evenly.
The gladiator blinked in surprise at the Prime's calm words. "That's all?"
"That is all."
Optimus was not one to lie, but Sideswipe was still unnerved by the fact that Optimus had given even that vague hint of the gladiator's past to an outsider. That discomfort was exactly what he wanted to get across to the Prime now. Growling, however, was not the way to do that. Sideswipe silenced himself, though he still scowled.
"You'd rather me not send mechs your way when they need things translated in the future?" Optimus ventured.
"I'd rather no one know about my life before Kaon," the former gladiator said in a low voice. Then he added, "I have a reputation to uphold."
"I know. I did not tell Wheeljack what you did for a living."
"He'll figure it out eventually." As much as he loved to pick on Wheeljack, Sideswipe wasn't so foolish as to think that the engineer wouldn't be able to come to the correct assumptions on his own. "I don't trust him to keep secrets." 'Not like I trust many mechs to begin with.'
Realizing Sideswipe was not through with his griping, Optimus shifted his massive form in his chair and thoughtfully steepled his fingers. He shuttered his optics for a moment before saying, "Close the door, Sideswipe."
The gladiator took another step further into the room, and the door, sensing the movement, slid shut with a soft hiss.
The Prime was silent, causing Sideswipe to shift nervously. He hated silence, especially when it was coming from mechs like Optimus. Silence meant they were thinking, and a lifetime in Kaon had taught him that being alone with a higher-ranking mech who was thinking in silence never ended well. "We're at war," Optimus said at last, his tone much more somber than it had been before. "We are outnumbered and outgunned by the Decepticons. If one of my soldiers has a skill that can give us any sort of an edge, whether that is skill in battle or skill in linguistics, I will put it to use."
Sideswipe surprised himself with what he blurted out next. "Please don't." He half-hoped Optimus hadn't heard that unintended display of weakness, but that hope was dashed when he saw the Prime raise a brow ridge in questioning. Well, now he had to say something. His gaze dropped to the floor, where it focused on nothing in particular, pondering how to proceed without baring his spark to Optimus. The last thing he needed was to make himself vulnerable to a superior. "I just would really like to keep my past quiet."
"You really prefer others to see you as merely a killer?"
'Well, when you say it like that...' "It's easier that way."
"Is it?"
"Nobody likes a smart mech who chooses to be a murderer," Sideswipe said softly, grimacing. "I...I don't want to deal with that stigma." 'I don't want to deal with being hated any more than I already am. I don't want that hatred to extend to my brother. I just don't want to think about how much I loved--still love--language...and what could have been...how much more normal things could have been...'
"Sideswipe, that file could very well lead to a major Autobot advantage," Optimus said.
"I know."
"You are the only trained translator on this base."
Sideswipe felt himself flinch involuntarily. "And that's what I don't want anyone to find out. I'm here to fight, not to sit at a terminal and decode messages."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't make you do that. I'm sure Ratchet doesn't want to deal with the aftermath of you and Red Alert being stuck in the same room for any length of time."
The gladiator purposely cringed this time. "My point exactly. Besides," he said, in a more serious tone, "I haven't touched translating since I was young." 'Okay, that's not entirely true...'
"I'm sure you'll do fine. Certainly better than what Wheeljack could come up with." Optimus smiled slyly."You have his file, correct?"
The red warrior tapped the armor on his torso that covered one of his larger holds, silently indicating he was in possession of the datapad.
The Prime nodded once. "Good. We would both appreciate it if you would not procrastinate in your work."
"Why would you think I'd do that?" Sideswipe said, only halfway paying attention to what exactly he was saying.
Optimus idly pressed some buttons on the display in front of him. "Prowl has had quite a few things to say regarding this tendency of yours."
Sideswipe could only come up with a very eloquent: "Hmph."
The Prime was looking up at him again. "Are we through then?"
"I suppose."
"Good. Dismissed."
Feeling oddly defeated and elated at the same time, Sideswipe turned around and reached for the door's control panel. Then he paused. "If you ever need something...translated...just contact me directly, okay?"
"Of course." He could hear a smile in Optimus's voice.
Truth be told, Sideswipe was smiling, too.
Rating: PG
Characters: Sideswipe, Optimus
Summary: Sideswipe confronts Optimus about having to help Wheeljack with Kree's file. (try saying that ten times fast)
Author's notes: Awesome title is awesome. Second part of mmouse15's "different sides" prompt. This occurs after the first part of chapter 10 of LWA.
He wanted to work on the file, he really did, but there was one thing he had to find out first. If he didn't, the unknowing would distract him while he worked, and him plus distractions didn't equal productivity. So he squared his shoulders--partially to put himself into a more aggressive stance, partially to remind himself yet again of the wonderful feeling of having working boosters once more--opened the door, and strode into the room.
"What did you tell Wheeljack?" That came out much more cross-sounding than he had intended. Then again, this wasn't a subject he dealt with lightly, so perhaps a more stern tone would get his point across more quickly.
Optimus glanced up from the console he had been examining. "You do realize you're in the officers' lounge, don't you?" he asked.
Sideswipe gave a snort through his vents. "You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?"
The Autobot commander was far more gracious than Xeon had been when it came to insubordinate behavior. As in, Optimus wouldn't put a shock collar around Sideswipe's neck for his statement. "There are other, and more proper, ways of getting my attention."
"But they aren't my way. Now what'd you tell him?"
"I told him you would be the most likely mech on the base who could help him decipher his file," Optimus said evenly.
The gladiator blinked in surprise at the Prime's calm words. "That's all?"
"That is all."
Optimus was not one to lie, but Sideswipe was still unnerved by the fact that Optimus had given even that vague hint of the gladiator's past to an outsider. That discomfort was exactly what he wanted to get across to the Prime now. Growling, however, was not the way to do that. Sideswipe silenced himself, though he still scowled.
"You'd rather me not send mechs your way when they need things translated in the future?" Optimus ventured.
"I'd rather no one know about my life before Kaon," the former gladiator said in a low voice. Then he added, "I have a reputation to uphold."
"I know. I did not tell Wheeljack what you did for a living."
"He'll figure it out eventually." As much as he loved to pick on Wheeljack, Sideswipe wasn't so foolish as to think that the engineer wouldn't be able to come to the correct assumptions on his own. "I don't trust him to keep secrets." 'Not like I trust many mechs to begin with.'
Realizing Sideswipe was not through with his griping, Optimus shifted his massive form in his chair and thoughtfully steepled his fingers. He shuttered his optics for a moment before saying, "Close the door, Sideswipe."
The gladiator took another step further into the room, and the door, sensing the movement, slid shut with a soft hiss.
The Prime was silent, causing Sideswipe to shift nervously. He hated silence, especially when it was coming from mechs like Optimus. Silence meant they were thinking, and a lifetime in Kaon had taught him that being alone with a higher-ranking mech who was thinking in silence never ended well. "We're at war," Optimus said at last, his tone much more somber than it had been before. "We are outnumbered and outgunned by the Decepticons. If one of my soldiers has a skill that can give us any sort of an edge, whether that is skill in battle or skill in linguistics, I will put it to use."
Sideswipe surprised himself with what he blurted out next. "Please don't." He half-hoped Optimus hadn't heard that unintended display of weakness, but that hope was dashed when he saw the Prime raise a brow ridge in questioning. Well, now he had to say something. His gaze dropped to the floor, where it focused on nothing in particular, pondering how to proceed without baring his spark to Optimus. The last thing he needed was to make himself vulnerable to a superior. "I just would really like to keep my past quiet."
"You really prefer others to see you as merely a killer?"
'Well, when you say it like that...' "It's easier that way."
"Is it?"
"Nobody likes a smart mech who chooses to be a murderer," Sideswipe said softly, grimacing. "I...I don't want to deal with that stigma." 'I don't want to deal with being hated any more than I already am. I don't want that hatred to extend to my brother. I just don't want to think about how much I loved--still love--language...and what could have been...how much more normal things could have been...'
"Sideswipe, that file could very well lead to a major Autobot advantage," Optimus said.
"I know."
"You are the only trained translator on this base."
Sideswipe felt himself flinch involuntarily. "And that's what I don't want anyone to find out. I'm here to fight, not to sit at a terminal and decode messages."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't make you do that. I'm sure Ratchet doesn't want to deal with the aftermath of you and Red Alert being stuck in the same room for any length of time."
The gladiator purposely cringed this time. "My point exactly. Besides," he said, in a more serious tone, "I haven't touched translating since I was young." 'Okay, that's not entirely true...'
"I'm sure you'll do fine. Certainly better than what Wheeljack could come up with." Optimus smiled slyly."You have his file, correct?"
The red warrior tapped the armor on his torso that covered one of his larger holds, silently indicating he was in possession of the datapad.
The Prime nodded once. "Good. We would both appreciate it if you would not procrastinate in your work."
"Why would you think I'd do that?" Sideswipe said, only halfway paying attention to what exactly he was saying.
Optimus idly pressed some buttons on the display in front of him. "Prowl has had quite a few things to say regarding this tendency of yours."
Sideswipe could only come up with a very eloquent: "Hmph."
The Prime was looking up at him again. "Are we through then?"
"I suppose."
"Good. Dismissed."
Feeling oddly defeated and elated at the same time, Sideswipe turned around and reached for the door's control panel. Then he paused. "If you ever need something...translated...just contact me directly, okay?"
"Of course." He could hear a smile in Optimus's voice.
Truth be told, Sideswipe was smiling, too.