Day of the Dead [open, prompt response]

[karanseraph]

TFA Slipstream

It is a couple days past Halloween, and the unusual eeriness has left the nexus. The weather is yet autumnal; crisp and cool. Today, there is something happening along the street in Park Slope. The road and walkways between the towering, violet-toned apartment building and the recently manicured park are filled with displays of

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[hunter_for_hire]

TFA Lockdown

Lockdown is unsettled. Ever since his discussion with Slipstream during the bizarre Halloween events, a bothersome worry has been rattling his processor. She had "politely" declined his invitation to return to the Death's Head with him, where they could continue their discussion, saying she had promised Fireflight a visit to the Roost. Lockdown didn't buy that excuse, otherwise why wouldn't she have left with Fireflight? She had also been acting peculiar. She had accused him of seducing her merely for a bounty--a bounty that is old history and doesn't even apply in the Nexus--then she took back her accusation, and tried to play off that everything was fine

[karanseraph]

Slipstream looks up from the bench, mild surprise quickly covered by a smirky smile.

You, maybe.

For all the bitterness in her answer, Slipstream takes the small flower in her talons and twirls it between her sharp digits, admiring it with softly glowing optics.

Or me, not that I'm unusually paranoid anymore. She shrugs, not up to full snarkiness. She's still somewhat affected by the realizations of the last lunar cycle.

Certainly not any Autobots who, if not in this Nexus, would consider me the enemy. It really isn't as much of a consolation as she would like that one of them is already offlined beyond the Nexus. As far as she knows, he might find some way to go Master Kenobi on them and continue to make appearances. The idea that an enemy or rival is merged with the AllSpark isn't comforting to one with a piece of the AllSpark in her chest. It's not in my interest to break any truce.

Slipstream straightens in her seat, forcing her smirk a bit. She sets the flower beside her to take one of the cocktails from the nearby altar.

[hunter_for_hire]

Helping himself to a cocktail, he takes a seat next to her, unconcerned with agenda of quitting "the drink." If she's going to bring up Yoketron, he's entitled to a little inebriation. He sits silent a moment, leaning into his legs, swirling the pink liquid.

Already toldja my story. He makes a half-ass toast, optics locked to the altar near them, watching the candles flicker, then takes a sip from his cube, the rich flavor instantly soothing. It's high grade. Really, really good high grade.

He take another sip--a slow savoring one--before finally lifting an expectant gaze to her.

What goin' on with ya, Trix?

[karanseraph]

Slipstream watches closely as Lockdown takes a drink. It was never her idea or choice that he avoid the hard stuff, as it were, so if he wants to make a change, that's his decision to make. Maybe she needs to be a little over-energized to answer his questions.

Coattails, you're my mech. I hope you know that. But, slag if that wasn't a terribly open-ended question! I might not have real insight, but...my optics and diagnostics are all functional. I know it might seem I was really paranoid and hurtful recently. Might even have tried to keep you distant. But, I'm not sure you want to really know everything behind that. Slag, I'm not 100% certain I understand what goes on with me sometimes, and it's me!

She takes a long drought from her cube. She's really not sure whether it is wiser to keep things from him, or let him know now.You're

[hunter_for_hire]

Keeping his focus on the cube, he lays his modded arm over her leg, the point of the hook just grazing her knee. It warms his spark to hear her honest words. He likes it when she calls him "her mech" and can barely remember the last time anyone referenced him like that.

I don't want this t'be work, darlin', but these things can rarely function without it...

Despite being out of practice when it comes to romantic relationships, he stills knows his basics. He's talked to enough sorry, sparkbroken saps in enough inter-galactic pit stops over the stellar cycles to understand how these things go.

If we wanna continue on as we started, supportin' each other and bein' able to speak our sparks, then we need to iron out the kinks as they come up.

The effects of the high-grade don't take long to loosen his joints and haze over his worries. He takes another drink, dimming his optics at the smooth flavor and humming contentedly as it coats his innards. Whatever she has to tell him, he can handle it...he hopes.I want you to be able tell me

[karanseraph]

Slipstream is feeling full of energy, and somewhat emboldened by Lockdown's touch. Yet, she is still finding her way in how to act toward a lover; it's not like she's had one before. She extends her arm along Lockdown's back, until she can touch his opposite hip-wheel with the tips of her talons. She maintains the loose hold on him as she speaks.

It's good, if you can really trust someone is watching your tail. I see the value in having someone on my side. But...it's difficult, you know? Can't experience loss, can't fear loss, until you've had something to lose. I can handle being on my own, but I don't want to lose an ally, especially not to make one an enemy. I worked hard to remove others as my enemies. I worked to show my way would work...with guile.

She takes another sip from her cube, and pauses thoughtfully, before continuing, again.But...I don't believe either of us actually seduced the other for some gain. Not reward. Not political gain. We just wanted to not be alone. We didn't want the fact that others had scorned us to

[hunter_for_hire]

The effects of the energon and the effects of her touch have him mostly relaxed, but they can't completely chase away his own paranoia. He hasn't forgotten that she had recently interacted with Jazz. He can only imagine what the guardsmech might have told her about his temporary partnering with Sentinel Prime; about how they ruthlessly hunted her kin. The last thing he needs if for her to hear Sentinel's version of that story, retold through Jazz, like one of those fraggin' gossip games when the truth gets distorted beyond recognition.

He takes a deep intake, his smirk having faded away.

I wanna believe ya, Trix. He turns to give her a pointed look. But if it wasn't you that said it, then who the frag was it?

[karanseraph]

I said it! Slipstream shouts, then drops her voice to a desperate whisper, but it wasn't like the real me, because something was affecting me!

She twists in her seat, folding one leg before her. One hand still clings to Lockdown.

You remember I did that experiment and it...tore me apart. I understood that if I pursued technology that I did not understand, in that way, that I could lose myself. And, more...it wouldn't only be some personal loss. I understood that others would hurt: You, Ramjet, or Sari, or Wasp. So, I abandoned that strategy, that research. When I went back to work, I undertook new research. I took precautions.

She takes a deep gulp of energon, and it's followed by a minor surge. She looks up, optics over-bright.I dove the mainframe in the research facility. Direct hardline connection. I made a backup of all my operating code and memory, just in case something happened. I had - I thought - advanced enough firewalls and data protection. But, something happened when I was immersed in the system. The mainframe itself

[hunter_for_hire]

Lockdown stills, averting his gaze back to the cube as he takes it all in. A bad vibe starts resonating across his sensor net: a mix of worry, paranoia and jealousy. He doesn't expect her to keep him informed of her business, but has to wonder how an Autobot...THAT Autobot was the one to aid her.

You let that guardsmech jack into you?

A lot of what she had said after mentioning Jazz's "heroics" was lost, his thoughts bristling with suspicion and skewing his logical functions.

You got a small army a'cons at your facility, and yanno you coulda comm'd me for backup, yet Jazz was the one to find you?

He twists around to impale her with a disapproving glare, his processor taking a moment to catch up in its now-heightened state. He tries to keep a neutral calm to his voice, but his anger is tough to suppress.It's no fraggin' wonder you were disturbed! Lettin' the EG in that close. M'sure the "strange occurrences" made the perfect cover for whatever bad lines a'code he coulda fed ya while connected. Fraggin' Guard probably wants to get

[karanseraph]

Slipstream glares right back. Are you even listening to me? I didn't let anyone jack in. I was fully immersed in the dive and not aware what was going on outside. That was my fault. I left myself vulnerable diving so deeply. I realize that now! Lesson fragging learned!

And, he didn't insert anything in my code! I told you I had a backup! As paranoid as I was at the time, I ran a comparison check.

Slipstream sighs heavily. I don't care about Jazz; I'm not afraid of him. Slag, I'd jack into another bot against their will, if I thought it'd give me an advantage!

I just...don't really like the idea that there are bots who can pull the shard from my chamber with the will of their processor.

[hunter_for_hire]

Your shar--!

Tossing his empty cube aside, he turns to face her completely, gripping her shoulders with an urgent and blazing concern. This new bit of information only fuels the fire of his paranoia and distrust for the intentions of the Elite Ninja.

Did he have a go at your shard?!

Lockdown is well aware of P over M's potential power, and he's fully versed on Detroit's history with it.

[karanseraph]

Slipstream's own near-empty cube falls as Lockdown takes hold over her. She folds her arms over her cockpit canopy.

No!

Slowly, she unfolds one arm and lifts her hand to touch Lockdown's faceplate.

Sugar, if anyone had gone after my shard, one one of us would have come out of that confrontation. No one's touched it.

She looks at Lockdown quietly, for a few moments. She was this paranoid, she thinks.

Even so, it's not comforting that anyone could...do what they did to Starscream. He was their enemy, and he was going to blow up Detroit...but to go that way without battle? She shakes her head.My having this shard, this fragment of the AllSpark in me, means there are only a few bots who are a real threat to me. My experience in the dive made me realize it fully. And, maybe it also let them know their power to threaten me

[hunter_for_hire]

The firm grip on her arm remains, but only so he can pull her flush to his chest and wrap her in a strong embrace, ensuring this "eeriness" phenomenon would not interfere with them again.

He holds her in silence as time slows around them. His circuits twinge and flare with dizzying overcharge, but that only proves to heighten the feeling of her pressed against him. He knows exactly what it feels like to fear weakness. It's a fear he battles nearly everyday in Nexus.

But moments like these are the exception.

Know what the beauty of "us" is darlin'? His purring tone resonates across both of their chassis. It's a place where fear and weakness are rewarded with a kindred spirit who knows just how you're feelin'.

Placing a kiss to her helm, he dims his optics, not bothered by their public display. His scanners indicate they are alone anyhow.

I know you ain't soft. And your fears are justified...fully trained cyber ninjas are a force to be reckoned with...

He wants to say she has nothing to worry about, but he's still suspicious about

[karanseraph]

I am so good at steering clear of things. Slipstream makes the claim through giggles.

Though she doesn't want to do anything unbecoming in public, Slipstream is just buzzed enough that her view of what is appropriate is quite relaxed. She wiggles and arches, wanting to get even closer, and finally drapes her arms over Lockdown's shoulders.

Another surge hits, and her vocalizer hiccups as she giggles, I love you.

You could be the death of me, Catrin, but I know, for all your stealth and tools, you'd give me a real battle. You come spar with me; I won't let you get soft.

[hunter_for_hire]

As she giggles and squirms against him, Lockdown can't help but respond with a hearty chuckle .

Hold up a 'klik, hot-ta-trot...

Her over-energized state is nearly-irresistible, especially since his energon has him rather...tingly. His hand has already found a comfortable hold on her aft while the hook dares to toy with the underside of her wing.

'Fore ya get all feisty on me, you certain you're doin' okay?

He leans in for an-almost kiss, his words hot on her lips.

Cuz I don't want ya soberin' up mid-...mid-whatever we're gearin' up to do, feelin' paranoid and defensive. Things could get real ugly real fast, and I certainly don't need you tearin' me a new wasteport.

[karanseraph]

Slipstream maintains the same slim distance between them as she draws her right arm back to place her talons at Lockdown's neck.

Whose gettin' feisty?

She pushes her wing back slowly, against the point his hook.

I told you: I'm not paranoid anymore. But, whether I tear you apart or get defensive greatly depends on what you think we're gearin' up to, Sugar. I don't see things getting ugly; not when we just made things right, again. Even if we fight, that's gonna be good.