Title: Ode to a Friend
Author:
Rating: High PG-13
Pairing: Ironhide/Beachbreak
Disclaimer: Don't own them, just write them better...
Request: On pg. 103 of Transformers: The Veiled Threat, Beachbreak dies by falling over Victoria Falls. He is barely mentioned, only a couple of sentences, and I would like to see Ironhide mourning his death.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, had papers due the same week of this and, well, yeah, here it is. Hope it's what you're looking for. Made Ironhide an angst-baby ;)
Ode to a Friend
The whine of Starscream’s engines had since faded, yet Ironhide hadn’t moved yet from the river, staring at the edge and the rising clouds of moisture beyond that. Beachbreak had been right there, right in his grasps and he just…was gone. There was a hand on his shoulder and he jerked back, staring at Ratchet with wild optics.
The medic sighed. “Need to get out of this water, ‘Hide,” he said softly. “Come on.”
“Beachbreak, he-“
“Is gone; there’s nothing we can do for him now.”
Ironhide pulled himself reluctantly from the river. Already the others were putting together the next plan of action, hunting down which way the Decepticons had gone.
“Come on, Ironhide!” Beachbreak called out. “You need to get outside more, enjoy some sunlight, fresh air-“
“You’ve been around the humans too long,” Ironhide snapped as he pieced one of his cannons back together.
“So? What’s the problem with that? Come on, there’s an area on the south part of the island that’s more remote and so no one will see you relaxing."
Beachbreak was the only one who seemed able to get away with such insubordination. Eventually he’d managed to drag Ironhide out to said beach and, though he never admitted it to the smaller ‘bot, it had been refreshing. They never had time to just sit and not do anything. Ironhide suspected that Optimus knew the positive affect Beachbreak had on him and began pairing the two off on various smaller missions.
It wouldn’t be until later, when they returned to the base, that Optimus approached him about what happened.
“They sent back a crew and managed to recover most of him…between the water and the rocks, he had no chance,” he said gently, once they were alone.
Ironhide didn’t look at his leaders. “But he should have had a chance,” he said bitterly. “As big and as strong as I am, how could I have just let him go?”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Optimus replied. “We didn’t expect the attack and we all just reacted. If anyone is to be blamed, it would be Starscream.”
But the dark mech shook his head. “It’s not enough, Optimus, not right now at least. I mean, look at me!” He did finally turn to face his leader. “There is no reason that he should be gone now? Why does Primus do this?! You are our beacon of hope and you would be gone if it hadn’t been for his quick thinking! Is this how our god rewards us and treats us?!”
Optimus gave Ironhide a long, searching look before replying. “I don’t have the answers for you.”
Ironhide growled in frustration and stalked off to his own secluded quarters. He sat down and leaned back against the wall, sighing, wanting nothing more than to blow something - hopefully a Decepticon - up, but knowing full well their human allies would really prefer him not to. Only out of respect of Lennox and Epps did he not go and do so now. He leaned his head back against the wall and let his processors pull up more memories.
Ironhide couldn’t say that it was love or anything that deep, but the moment Beachbreak had arrived, he’d been there, ready to help and prove his worth but not annoyingly so like the twins. It was that same little ‘bot who helped Ironhide reassert a balance that he’d been missing since the early parts of the war. There had been a more peaceful, patient side to his personality that had fade over the orns of fighting and losing friends. For that very reason, Ironhide kept pushing Beachbreak away, not wanting to feel attached to any more than he already had, with Prime and Ratchet and even Bumblebee.
“You’re still in here working? Primus, Ironhide, no wonder you’re always so pushy,” Beachbreak said, leaning against the wall. “Do you even know how to relax anymore?”
Ironhide glanced up at the mech, scowling, but the smaller ‘bot only grinned. “Maybe you just need a good overload.”
The larger warrior sputtered and then growled. “You had better hope for your own good that you’re joking,” he warned. Going out away from base to a quiet beach was one thing, but this was just too much!
Beachbreak chuckled and moved towards Ironhide. “I guess you’ll just have to stop me, then,” he teased.
Ironhide did try, really, but as he later found out, Beachbreak had made quite a living in the Towers of all places as a Dreamer. In human terms, a more dignified form of prostitution.
“Primus!” Ironhide gasped as skilled fingers tugged on sensitive wires before moving lower to tease his cable.
He wouldn’t admit, but the last time he had overloaded was before the war began. After that, he just had no more drive - not where there was so much fighting going on.
Ironhide made a pained sound. There was nothing more to be done. Beachbreak was gone. Offline. All Ironhide could do now was make sure that Starscream met his fate - a painfully, slow, tortuous, death. And he would tell others about the little mech’s bravery and quick thinking.
He’d lost a good friend but as his firm resolution overtook him, he felt that balance still within himself. The precious gift from Beachbreak that could never be repaid.