Fic: Past the Point of No Return
TITLE: Past the Point of No Return
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation - Off Balance
VERSE: movie
CHARACTERS: Scavenger, Scrapper, Sideswipe/Scavenger off-screen
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)
FEEDBACK: Loved
SUMMARY: It's actually none of Scrapper's concern, but Scavenger's part of his team, so he asks a few pointed questions.
prior fics in this series:
Wrong
Awkward
Malum in Se - Wrong in Itself
Compensating
Can of Worms
Mutual Understanding
Split Complications
Scavenger looked up from the 3-D holographic model he was studying and glanced over to where Scrapper was doing some calculations. The red visor band and mouth guard gave nothing away.
“All right. Out with it.”
Scrapper did a good job at appearing perplexed.
Scavenger sighed. “Whatever’s on your mind, spill. I can feel it, Scrapper.”
It got him a low chuckle. “Curse of the remaining combiner fragments.”
“I’m not Hook. I can’t read your mind,” the other Constructicon said, not unkindly. “But I know something’s up.”
“As do I.”
Scavenger didn’t rise to the bait.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Scavenger?” Scrapper finally asked.
“What?”
“Sideswipe.”
“What about him?”
If Scrapper wanted to know what was going on, he could very well ask.
“I’m your team leader. I noticed changes. I don’t care whether you or anyone else chooses to share with another mech. This is developing into more, though, right?”
Scavenger turned away from the model and crossed his arms. “As you just said, none of your concern.”
“I was simply wondering why.”
“Why not? Did anyone need a reason in the past? It’s for pleasure and relaxation. It’s nice. It’s fun. Nothing more.”
The visor band glowed a deep red. “Are you sure?”
Scavenger froze. “What do you mean?”
“You have had partners before. You know how it felt. In that regard we didn’t change. We might have lost part of our intellect and genius, but we didn’t lose the basic function to feel. I’ve had my share of partners. Before we became a team, I had a long-time partner whom I enjoyed and who enjoyed me. Scavenger, this can get more than casual.”
“No, it can’t.”
“Because it already is?”
He didn’t answer.
Scrapper nodded as if it had been the answer he had been looking for.
Scavenger felt rattled to the core, like he had been blind-sided. He had come to realize this himself, that there was no going back. For someone else, who had no direct link into his spark or mind, to notice… Scrapper was his team leader; he was the second in command. Scavenger should have known the whole matter wouldn’t pass any of the others just by. He should have known that Scrapper would approach him.
“Scavenger?”
He drew himself out of his musings.
“This is new territory. Be careful. It might backfire.”
“It won’t. It’s nothing out of the ordinary!” he almost snapped, losing his temper in a rare moment.
Scrapper radiated doubt, but Scavenger didn’t fall for it. He pointedly went back to work and Scrapper thankfully dropped the topic.
Much later, when he was alone and in his quarters, Scavenger still heard those words echo in his mind.
It might backfire.
A small, still weak voice told him that it already had.
He was in over his head and unable to turn back. It was as if his spark was already entwined with Sideswipe’s and unable to sever the link of an interface completely. He didn’t feel the other mech when he was around, but he felt a lot when they were together.
He had looked up spark bonds and decided that, no, this wasn’t one. He had looked into the connection between his kind and the humans. Not even close.
But something was happening.
It should scare him.
He wasn’t a partner, just a way for Sideswipe to live, to feel, to ignore the emptiness his twin brother’s absence had created. And Sideswipe gave him something in return: a strong enough presence to overlap where Bonecrusher’s dead link still resided. A scabbed, partially scarred wound. Each time he was interfaced, linked, the numbness of that dead link faded to nothingness.
Equal benefits.
And still Scavenger knew that something else had developed.
Sideswipe’s next visit pushed those thoughts away. Locked in Scavenger’s quarters they drew out their time together, locked in an interface, enjoying each other. All interface nodes were wide open. Complete connection.
And Scavenger silenced every nagging voice in his head.
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation - Off Balance
VERSE: movie
CHARACTERS: Scavenger, Scrapper, Sideswipe/Scavenger off-screen
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)
FEEDBACK: Loved
SUMMARY: It's actually none of Scrapper's concern, but Scavenger's part of his team, so he asks a few pointed questions.
prior fics in this series:
Wrong
Awkward
Malum in Se - Wrong in Itself
Compensating
Can of Worms
Mutual Understanding
Split Complications
Scavenger looked up from the 3-D holographic model he was studying and glanced over to where Scrapper was doing some calculations. The red visor band and mouth guard gave nothing away.
“All right. Out with it.”
Scrapper did a good job at appearing perplexed.
Scavenger sighed. “Whatever’s on your mind, spill. I can feel it, Scrapper.”
It got him a low chuckle. “Curse of the remaining combiner fragments.”
“I’m not Hook. I can’t read your mind,” the other Constructicon said, not unkindly. “But I know something’s up.”
“As do I.”
Scavenger didn’t rise to the bait.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Scavenger?” Scrapper finally asked.
“What?”
“Sideswipe.”
“What about him?”
If Scrapper wanted to know what was going on, he could very well ask.
“I’m your team leader. I noticed changes. I don’t care whether you or anyone else chooses to share with another mech. This is developing into more, though, right?”
Scavenger turned away from the model and crossed his arms. “As you just said, none of your concern.”
“I was simply wondering why.”
“Why not? Did anyone need a reason in the past? It’s for pleasure and relaxation. It’s nice. It’s fun. Nothing more.”
The visor band glowed a deep red. “Are you sure?”
Scavenger froze. “What do you mean?”
“You have had partners before. You know how it felt. In that regard we didn’t change. We might have lost part of our intellect and genius, but we didn’t lose the basic function to feel. I’ve had my share of partners. Before we became a team, I had a long-time partner whom I enjoyed and who enjoyed me. Scavenger, this can get more than casual.”
“No, it can’t.”
“Because it already is?”
He didn’t answer.
Scrapper nodded as if it had been the answer he had been looking for.
Scavenger felt rattled to the core, like he had been blind-sided. He had come to realize this himself, that there was no going back. For someone else, who had no direct link into his spark or mind, to notice… Scrapper was his team leader; he was the second in command. Scavenger should have known the whole matter wouldn’t pass any of the others just by. He should have known that Scrapper would approach him.
“Scavenger?”
He drew himself out of his musings.
“This is new territory. Be careful. It might backfire.”
“It won’t. It’s nothing out of the ordinary!” he almost snapped, losing his temper in a rare moment.
Scrapper radiated doubt, but Scavenger didn’t fall for it. He pointedly went back to work and Scrapper thankfully dropped the topic.
Much later, when he was alone and in his quarters, Scavenger still heard those words echo in his mind.
It might backfire.
A small, still weak voice told him that it already had.
He was in over his head and unable to turn back. It was as if his spark was already entwined with Sideswipe’s and unable to sever the link of an interface completely. He didn’t feel the other mech when he was around, but he felt a lot when they were together.
He had looked up spark bonds and decided that, no, this wasn’t one. He had looked into the connection between his kind and the humans. Not even close.
But something was happening.
It should scare him.
He wasn’t a partner, just a way for Sideswipe to live, to feel, to ignore the emptiness his twin brother’s absence had created. And Sideswipe gave him something in return: a strong enough presence to overlap where Bonecrusher’s dead link still resided. A scabbed, partially scarred wound. Each time he was interfaced, linked, the numbness of that dead link faded to nothingness.
Equal benefits.
And still Scavenger knew that something else had developed.
Sideswipe’s next visit pushed those thoughts away. Locked in Scavenger’s quarters they drew out their time together, locked in an interface, enjoying each other. All interface nodes were wide open. Complete connection.
And Scavenger silenced every nagging voice in his head.