Barricade/Bluestreak

[ouronlyhunter]

Title: The Path

By: mmouse15

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Snuggling mechs? This is pretty bland.

'Verse: TFAnimated

Characters: Barricade, Bluestreak, Prowl, Smokescreen, mentions of others.

Original request was for:

Pairing you want: Barricade/Bluestreak

Sin(s): Sloth (its medieval definition, not its modern one)

Three things you want to see in your fic: Grumpy Neutral! Barricade, TFA verse is preferable but movieverse is okay if you can't get it to work right, overprotective older brothers Smokescreen and Prowl

Three things you don't want to see in your fic: nothing, anything goes

A/N: So the medieval definition of sloth is more like sadness or despair. I was brainstorming this with a friend of mine, and this is what I came up with. This is not an easy request! Also, all thanks to vejiraziel for her song list; it's the only way this got written. Also, Word hates British spellings…



Prowl looked over at his older brother, Smokescreen, with concern as their youngest brother left the Autobots headquarters.

"What did I say?"

Smokescreen shrugged. He had adopted a slightly different Earth disguise than his brothers, and thus his paneled wings flared out more from his back, giving the shrug greater power as the wings echoed the movement.

"I don't know Prowl. Nothing we do seems to make a difference to Bluestreak."

As one, the brothers again looked toward the retreated Bluestreak.

"Perhaps someone other than us should speak with him."

Smokescreen glanced over, his expression doubtful. "I'm not sure there's anybody here who can understand what Bluestreak went through. Besides, how do you talk to someone that doesn't talk back?"

Bluestreak strode away from his brothers. He knew that they meant well, but they just didn't understand! How could he speak when all that pressed upon his vocalizer was the screams he hadn't been able to release that day? He stopped, looking out at the organic wilderness of Earth. This planet was amazing to him, and he found himself enjoying the wildness at a visceral level. Prowl seemed to understand, and had taken him around when he'd first arrived on Earth, shown him the amazing variety of life, and didn't seem to feel that he needed a response from Bluestreak.

"Bluestreak?"

The silver and grey Autobot turned to Optimus Prime. He liked Prowl's leader. He was young, like they were, and seemed to understand the uncertainties that came with being young. Unlike the old and gruff Ratchet, Optimus seemed…reachable. He nodded at the Prime, then returned his gaze to the trees. Optimus came up beside him, looking out the same direction.

"We've received a new signal. I'd like to send you out with Hound to meet him. He'll be landing close by, but he's unknown to any of us, and I think you two are the best suited to scoping him out." Unspoken was the acknowledgement that Bluestreak was a superb fighter, whereas Hound had durability and thus the two warriors were the best combination at Optimus' disposal.

Bluestreak nodded again, then turned back to headquarters. The old factory was large, which was a good thing given the increasing number of Autobots coming to the planet to help look for shards of the Allspark. Optimus' crew was, by default, in charge of the search and thus their headquarters were the main base. Bluestreak himself had been requested from his unit by Ultra Magnus. Ironhide had been unhappy about letting him go, but had bowed to the necessity. Hound and Beachcomber had been pulled from planetary surveying and sent to Earth. Smokescreen had been detached from Ultra Magnus' own unit, while others had been pulled from anywhere. Ultra Magnus seemed to have combed through the Autobots' records and pulled anyone with abilities he felt would contribute to the search and sent them to Earth. He had kindly (and Blue was sure that it was against Sentinel Prime's wishes) left Optimus as the leading Prime.

He found Hound, who merely nodded back at him and transmitted a databurst that contained the coordinates. They transformed, Hound into a rugged four wheel drive vehicle and Bluestreak into a motorcycle that bore a startling resemblance to his older brother Prowl, and left headquarters.

When they arrived at the site, Hound transformed and waved him off. Bluestreak circled around the coordinate site quietly, climbing a hill that overlooked the landing zone. He found a good spot, well hidden and made himself comfortable, pulling out the pieces of his sniper rifle and putting it together by feel , keeping his optics trained on the open meadow below him. Hound waited on the edge of the trees, standing carefully with his arms well away from his body, palms open, showing his lack of armature.

A ship uncloaked before them, landing ramp already extended. A form smaller than Hound waited at the bottom of the ramp. Hound stepped forward as the unknown bot walked away from his ship and toward the scout. Bluestreak aimed at the bot, keeping the unknown in his sights while Hound and the unknown moved closer together. Once the two were at a distance where they could talk, both stopped.

"Designation: Autobot Hound. What is your purpose on this planet?"

"Designation: Barricade. I'm here because I was called." The lack of an allegiance meant that Barricade was either a Decepticon or a neutral. Bluestreak shifted minutely and took aim again.

"Called by whom?" Hound also shifted, his hands moving closer to his sides.

"Called by a friend. He thought I might be able to help him."

"Who's the friend, and how did he think you could help?"

"I'm not sure how that's any of your business." Barricade took a step back.

Hound didn't move, replying, "The Autobots don't wish this planet to become a battleground. Therefore, if you are unable to give us a reason for being here, we will respectfully request you leave."

"Respectfully? Or with force?" Barricade tossed back.

Hound refused to rise to the baiting, merely saying, "Right now, it's respectfully."

Barricade glared at him for a few moments, then his shoulders slumped a little bit. "Fine. My friend's name is Motorhead. You probably won't have heard of him, but maybe you know his friend, Blurr?"

Hound didn't visibly flinch, but Bluestreak could tell that the news had rocked him. Blurr had disappeared into the space gate created by Megatron, and no one had heard from him since he had disappeared with two of Starscream's clones.

"Blurr? Do you know where he is?" Hound stepped forward, eager for news of his friend.

Barricade shook his head. "No, I don't. Motorhead does, though, and asked me to come to this…backwater planet to help search for fragments of some kind."

Hound thought this over, then answered, "You need to come with me and talk to Optimus Prime."

"No. You need to bring your Prime here. I'm not leaving the safety of my ship."

Hound made a show of negotiating, but both bots knew that Hound would be leaving and bringing Prime to the neutral. The scout left, and Bluestreak settled in for a long session of waiting and watching. To put on the proper show, Optimus wouldn't show up here for a day or more.

Optimus arrived a day later, just as Bluestreak had predicted. His watch over Barricade was boring but necessary, and he had learned some things about the neutral bot, such as the fact that Barricade seemed to have an ability to commune with the Allspark, since in the day he'd been watching, Barricade had found two shards of crystal. The meeting with Optimus was brief, and Barricade had willingly surrendered to the Prime the two shards.

"So I have your permission to stay on this planet?"

"For the time being, yes."

"Good. Does that mean when you leave, you're going to take your watcher with you?" Barricade asked.

"Watcher?" Optimus played dumb.

"Him," and Barricade pointed right at Bluestreak, "while I appreciate the necessity, I'm not sure you really need to keep him there."

"My apologies."

"Unnecessary." Barricade told him.

"We are unable, at this point, to leave you unguarded. We need to contact the Elite Guard and verify Blurr's coordinates. Until then, you need to understand our necessities."

Barricade nodded, replying, "Of course. May I suggest, however, that he join us down here? Hiding is not necessary."

Bluestreak made himself comfortable against as tree as Barricade stopped to get his bearings and take a refueling break. Barricade glanced over at him, then spoke.

"What's the matter? You haven't said a word since I've met you."

Bluestreak shrugged, pulling some rations out of a small pocket of space on his side. He drank it slowly, but with few pauses. Barricade just looked at him for long moments, then finished off his own rations. He swung the small bag of materials back over his shoulder and waited for Bluestreak to stand, then continued his quest.

Things continued along this vein for the next few weeks, Barricade finally learning to ask yes or no questions. Bluestreak never responded to longer questions, acting as if Barricade hadn't spoken. Frustrated, Barricade finally put in a call to the Autobot headquarters. Prowl took the call.

"What do you mean, he never talks?"

"I mean, he never talks."

"Why?"

"We don't know, exactly."

A long silence, then, "That implies that you do know something."

"Yes."

Another pause, followed by, "Well?"

"Why do you want to know?"

This time, the silence was strained. "Because…because he reminds me of someone."

"Fine. Meet me at these coordinates. Tell Bluestreak who you're meeting, so he can choose to follow or not. Smokescreen will be with me."

"I'll be there."

Barricade paced and snarled in front of the two mechs. Prowl looked over at Smokescreen, shrugging his shoulder in a 'what did I do?' gesture.

"The two of you never thought to ask for help for your brother? You never found out exactly what had happened, and he hasn't spoken a word since…whatever it was? What in the name of the Allspark do you use your CPUs for, to keep your audios apart? I can't believe I'm dealing with two grown mechs that are so helpless and…stupid!"

"Now, just one moment, Barricade. We didn't push Bluestreak when he came back because.."

The neutral snarled at him, "…because what? And just how long ago was that, anyway? How did he get attached to an Elite Guard unit if he can't…slagging...TALK!!"

Smokescreen moved forward this time. "Well, he can talk, and I guess we assumed that he talks if he absolutely has to do so. He just…doesn't do casual conversations. And we never helped him because…well, that's not our specialties, and I, at least, was afraid of doing more harm than good."

"Agreed." Came Prowl's mellow tone. "We did ask the Autobot army headquarters to assist him, and I for one assumed they had done so."

"They probably traumatized him more! The slagging army is run by stiffs like Sentinel Prowl, and you either conform or you're out. Bluestreak probably gave them the bare minimum he needed to get released, but there was no healing there, no facing the situation."

"So what are we supposed to do about it?" Smokescreen asked, frowning. He and Prowl had moved closer to each other, offering unspoken support.

Barricade didn't answer right away, continuing to pace with a frown on his face. Finally, he stopped and faced them.

"I haven't done this in…probably too long, but I used to…a long time ago, I worked in the youth sectors, helping raise younglings. I had a lot of training in the care and health of younglings. I…quit, when, well, when my supervisor started abusing the youths and I was reprimanded for reporting him."

"You just left younglings there, under an abusive mech?" Prowl was growling now.

"No! I tried everything I could think of! I reported him, I filed reports with the security bots, I told creators…I went through channels and when that did nothing, I went out of channels! For my pains, I got beaten until I was in stasis lock for an orbital cycle! That didn't stop me, but the second beating finally did it. They were Decepticons, and they were using that youth center to troll for younglings to bring into their training center. When I awoke from the second beating, the youth center was closed and I was blacklisted from working with younglings."

A long silence, then Smokescreen spoke, "That's appalling."

"Ya think?" Barricade's voice was sarcastic, but the grief on his face was far more telling.

Prowl shot his brother a look, then quietly spoke, "Do you really think you can help Bluestreak?"

Barricade looked at him, measuring him for long moments, then nodded.

"Then you should try. Having met Sentinel Prime, I can well believe that the army mechs are stamped from the same mold and were of no help at all to Bluestreak. Please do your best for our brother."

"But be warned, " Smokescreen added, "that if you mess him up more, we'll come looking for you, and the beatings you got from the Decepticons will look like a stroll through the Helix Gardens."

"I am warned, then." Barricade took his leave from them.

Bluestreak looked up from his small camp near Barricade's ship as the neutral bot came stomping out of the woods, a frown on his face and his body language telling Blue that the mech was seriously slagged off. He raised a brow as Barricade stalked over to him and plopped down across from him.

"Your brothers…" Barricade left the thought unspoken, but Blue chuckled at the look. He was sure he'd worn that same look many a time after spending time with one or the other of his brothers, never mind both together!

Barricade leaned back on his hands, concentrating on slowing his systems and venting the hot air that had built inside him after he'd left the overprotective glitches behind.

Blue offered him a warmed rust stick and a hot kettle of thick oil. Barricade gratefully reached for one of the treats, swirling it through the oil and lifting towards his mouth, biting off half of the stick and savouring the flavours. They stayed there, quietly enjoying the snack, for a long time. The sun of this organic planet set, and they were still sitting there. Barricade folded his arms over his knees and rested his chin on top of his arms, gazing at Bluestreak. Finally he nodded, thanked Bluestreak for the treat, and went into his ship.

The cycle continued for several weeks, Bluestreak accompanying Barricade as the neutral mech continued to hunt successfully for Allspark fragments. Whenever he had more than three, he'd call the Autobots and arrange for a pickup. He and Bluestreak were ranging further and further out from the epicenter of the blast that had destroyed the Allspark, and yet they maintained a companionable silence. Finally, they were so far out that they couldn't make it back to Barricade's ship and were forced to make a camp, being five days travel from their base. They had traveled until they were exhausted, but Barricade finally called a halt. Bluestreak moved to set up a watch, but Barricade stopped him, laying out a couple of devices. Blue raised a brow and Barricade shrugged.

"They've saved my life many a time. We both need the recharge; we can't afford to have one of us feeling poorly tomorrow."

Blue nodded and lay down, cycling his systems down for a recharge.

"No! Get your hands off her, you slagging bastard!"

Bluestreak awoke screaming. Barricade was on his feet, a lethal looking pistol in his fist, scanning the woods around them for threats. Deciding that there were none for the moment, he put the pistol away and moved beside the thrashing Bluestreak, laying a hand gently on the mech's shoulder. With a yelp, Bluestreak jerked himself out of recharge, staring up into the eyes of the mech over him. Barricade had moved back when Blue had awoken, not wishing to be perceived as a threat. Blue buried his face in his hands, sobs escaping him. Barricade laid a gentle hand on the shaking back, stroking the struts and curves of Bluestreak's alt-form. Gradually, Bluestreak regained control of himself. Once he had sat up, Barricade sat down next to him but facing him, and spoke.

"I served in the youth centers under an unknown Decepticon. I watched him abuse the younglings mentally, and I recognize in you the scars of that kind of abuse. I know that you don't want to talk about it, but keeping it inside isn't working either. If you ever want a non-judgmental friend to listen, I'll be available for you. "

A long pause, then Blue nodded. Barricade gripped his shoulder and returned to his pad to finish his interrupted recharge cycle.

The next morning, they refueled quickly and struck camp, heading back toward Detroit. The next refueling stop they made, Bluestreak sat next to Barricade.

"What happened to you?"

Startled, Barricade dropped his rust stick. Bluestreak had a pleasant baritone, eerily similar to his brother Prowl's voice.

Barricade scooped up his stick, brushing off the dirt. "I was beaten…twice…by my supervisor's buddies. The first time I was in stasis lock for an orbital cycle, the second time was for seven. When I woke up, my supervisor was gone, the youth center shut down, and I was blacklisted from working with younglings ever again."

Bluestreak processed this information while he nibbled on his rust stick. When he was done, he stood and waited for Barricade. The neutral also stood, shook out the dirt from his joints, and transformed, once again heading toward Detroit. Bluestreak was right behind him.

Another week went by and they were once again far from their base. This time, after Barricade set out his warning devices, Bluestreak was waiting for him.

"I was sent to a training school. My creator wanted me to become a sniper. He thought I had the ability and sent me to this school, and it was attacked. The mechs…they killed students and there was nothing we could do to stop them. They were after something and anyone that got in their way was killed. My…my best friend was killed right in front of me. I…they didn't kill me, but they killed her. Why, Barricade? I would rather have died than watch her die."

Barricade processed this information. He knew this attack. He guessed it had been Decepticons, but the newscasts had never mentioned this possibility. It had been a small school, less than a hundred students, out in the outer territories, run by a crusty old soldier named Kup that had retired from the Autobots and started this school far from the politics that corrupted Cybertron. Kup had wanted his students to be able to focus on their training without worrying about the pressures. Many of his students went on the Autobot Academy and were outstanding students, commonly going into the Elite Guard. Kup had died in this attack and his school had been closed, his students scattered across the known universe.

"I don't know, Bluestreak."

"I've always thought it was because she came across as a threat. Her form…it was all angles and blades. She really looked deadly, and I didn't. I hadn't chosen an alt-form yet, so I was still in my protoform. They just…hit me so hard I went into stasis. When I woke up, she was looking at me. I knew she was dead, but…"
"You've never gotten over the guilt."

"Yes."

Barricade wrapped an arm around Bluestreak's shoulders, pulling the younger mech into his body in a brief hug and then releasing him. Blue however, did not pull away. He merely leaned into Barricade's side. They fell into recharge like this, the younger mech leaning against the older.

Over time, more confessions came out. The next big one, a couple of months after Bluestreak started talking to Barricade, was difficult for both of them.

"So my creator…he told me I was worthless. If I hadn't been, I would have been killed along with the other, worthier students. Instead, I survived and that showed that I wasn't the mech he thought I'd be. Prowl and Smokescreen don't understand why I never go back there."

Barricade hummed thoughtfully. Bluestreak continued, "I just…I can't tell them. He's proud of them, even though Prowl never finished his training and Smokescreen was kicked out of his academy for gambling. They can do no wrong, but me…"

"Perhaps your creator is as difficult for them in private as he is for you. It is not uncommon for a mech of that…mind set, shall we say…to use one creation against another."

Bluestreak mulled that over. A long while later, he quietly said, "I thought about off-lining myself after the last time I went back to my creator's house. It just seemed…nothing I did made a difference to him."

Barricade absorbed this information, saying nothing. Bluestreak turned his head away, and Barricade reached out to him, holding his hand out steadily. Bluestreak finally put his hand into Barricade's.

"Your creator is warped in the CPU, Bluestreak, and I'm sorry you ever felt that way. He was wrong and a fool to boot. You are worthy of better." He kept his eyes steady on the young fighter, until Bluestreak broke and dived into Barricade's arms. The neutral wrapped him up in his arms, holding him fiercely. Bluestreak finally broke, sobbing in Barricade's arms for the remainder of the night. He finally fell into a deep recharge as the false dawn was breaking. Barricade shifted him slightly to make himself more comfortable, then activated a holographic display that disguised their presence. He fell into a light recharge himself, waking late in the afternoon. Bluestreak was stirring in his arms, and Barricade smiled, feeling a measure of pride in the mech that had survived such horrific events. Bluestreak was more resilient than he gave himself credit for, and Barricade vowed to himself that he would help Blue become as strong to himself as Barricade perceived him to be.

A week later, Prowl came to Barricade's ship to retrieve the Allspark pieces the neutral had found. By this time, his ability to find the shards was lessening, but he didn't want to leave Earth yet.

"Hello, Barricade."

"Prowl. Thanks for coming out. Not too many this time, only five." Barricade handed over the shards and watched as Prowl tucked them away in a pocket on his thigh.

"How many more do you think you'll be able to find?"

Barricade looked up at the sky, then back down at the black and gold mech. "I don't know. It's getting harder. It's almost like some of the shards are shielding themselves from detectors. I think I've done well," a sound of agreement from the ninja, "but even I have my limits."

"'Cade? Where did you store the rust sticks?" Bluestreak's voice came from inside the ship.

"They're in the left compartment, lower shelf, right side." Barricade answered.

Muffled sounds of objects moving around, then, "Found them! Thanks!"

Prowl asked, "Is that…Bluestreak?"

"Oh. Yeah, it is."

"He's…talking."

"Yeah."

Bluestreak popped his head out at that moment, nodding in Prowl's direction, "'Cade, where do you keep the canisters of fuel? I'm out, and I want warm oil with my rust sticks. Hi, Prowl."

"They're in the middle compartment, way in the back."

"'Kay, thanks." Blue's head disappeared. He was back quickly, coming down the landing ramp and heading over to a small stove set up away from the ship.

"Care to join us?" Barricade offered to Prowl.

"I'd love to, thank you." Prowl answered, walking toward his brother. He folded himself down. Bluestreak glanced over, smiling at his brother and offering him a rust stick. Barricade joined them, and the three mechs enjoyed a quiet snack. Finally, Bluestreak settled against Barricade's side and asked Prowl the question that had been burning at him for far too long.

"Prowl, did our creator…was he ever complimentary to you in private?"

Prowl snorted. "Not likely. He always disparaged everything I did; you and Smokescreen were perfect and I was a failure. Why do you think I stopped my training? I couldn't stand the constant criticism. I had to get away from him."

Blue had started laughing quietly, the volume gradually building until he was leaning against Barricade, fluid running down his face.

"Slag it, 'Cade, you were right," he finally managed. "Prowl, our dear creator played us for fools. When it was me, I could do nothing right and it was you and Smokey that were perfect. No wonder we all ended up quitting whatever we started. It wasn't us. It was him."

Prowl seemed rocked by this revelation. "You mean…"

"Yeah, I do. Slagging mis-clocked glitch played us one against the others. I was already feeling a failure and he made it worse."

"I'm sorry, Bluestreak."

"I survived, Prowl."

"There is a saying here on Earth," Prowl told him, "Quod me non interficit, id me firmiorem facit."

Bluestreak absorbed that, then smiled at his brother. He was firmly on the path to healing, thanks to Barricade's patience and friendship.