The Things We Do For Love
The Things We Do For Love
Chapter 5
Author: Thalanee
Verse: pre-Movie
Rating: pg-13
Word Count: ca. 2900 words
Warnings: Don’t eat or drink while reading this (if only for the sake of your screen and keyboard). It’s probably not as funny as the other chapters, but let’s make sure.
Disclaimer: Still not mine, sorry. And the name Sparkles is Taralynden’s brain child.
Summary: Goodies or sweets are also customary to express one’s romantic interest… but not while sitting in a restricted area.
Author’s Notes: Wow, long chapter…
Jazz has been in Praxus for a while now, and by now he has all of Prowl’s attention (he’s really quite the attention hog)
XXXXX
About two decacycles later
It was a patrol just as Prowl liked them and Barricade hated them, quiet and without any incidents, the kind of patrol that most including Prowl’s partner would have called mind-bogglingly boring, yet Prowl himself enjoyed them. They were a welcome respite from the mayhem Failsafe had inflicted on them all. Sure the crimes were minor, compared to what he could have done if he put his processor to it, but they were still infractions of the law. Cringing to himself the doorwinger remembered the one time the thief had painted the statue of the Lord Prime with blue and red flame decals (while said Lord visited) and called it redecorating when he had been accused of vandalism after Prowl caught him once again.
The Prime had taken it in stride, actually he had laughed and joked about adapting his own paintjob to match the statue’s (because, no matter how the paintjob got on the statue, it really looked quite dashing, even Prowl couldn’t deny that).
Thus to Prowl a quiet patrol meant peace, no crimes, something he dearly wished for. And for once it really was.
Until their comm. units crackled to life.
::Prowl, Barricade::
::Prowl here, Smokescreen:: the doorwinger answered.
:: Someone from Praxus Crystal Park just called in and asked for our help.:: the enforcer on comm. duty explained. ::Apparently there’s some bot who’s made himself comfortable in the restricted area around the old crystal trees and they can’t get rid of him. So they asked for our help. You and Barricade are closest to the area. Besides, I think you’re going to want to take care of this one::
Something in the other’s tone clued Prowl in on who was torturing the park officials with his cheeky stubbornness. ::It’s Failsafe again, isn’t it::
:: Yes, at least as far as I can make out from the description we were given. ::
:: He, I wouldn’t be surprised if Failsafe asked for Prowl specifically.:: Barricade sounded almost giddy at the prospect of getting more material for his ever growing “Reasons I love this criminal” file. He relished the amusement he got from it. Prowl just wanted it gone…
An embarrassed silence from the other end of the line told Barricade that he had hit home. Prowl was not amused.
:: Why are you indulging that criminal? :: he demanded to know, even as his spark did little skips of anticipation he studiously tried to ignore.
After a few moments in which Smokescreen tried to come up with something besides “Because it’s hilarious”, he decided to tell Prowl what all the enforcers knew to be true. Besides the enforcer cum psychiatrist thought Prowl needed to hear it. ::Because he’s good for you.::
:: Excuse me?:: the small enforcer was stumped, to tell the truth.
::I’ll take it from here, Smokescreen.:: Barricade answered in his stead, and the comm. line to the precinct closed. This was between partners now.
“He’s good for you,” Barricade repeated. “He makes you open up in a way even I don’t manage to, he even makes you laugh about his antics.” Prowl was about to protest, but Barricade shushed him. “Don’t even think about denying it, I know you found that one where he painted the statue amusing, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
“He’s still a criminal.”
“But not a really bad one. We both know he could do worse, and yet he’s never really done anyone harm, apart from the odd theft, and even then, he always picked people who wouldn’t really feel the damage.” Barricade eyed his silent partner thoughtfully.
Prowl wanted to reply, but in all honesty he didn’t know what to say. Reluctant as he was to admit so, he knew Barricade was right. Primus knew he had spent enough time thinking about the dark silver mech ever since he had made his first appearance in Praxus.
“He may be a criminal, but he’s not a bad mech. Think about it.” Barricade just added. Prowl was spared from trying to formulate an appropriate answer by their arrival at Praxus’ famous Crystal Park.
Praxian Crystals were renowned throughout all of Cybertron for their beauty. Some varieties grew in other cities, but never as glorious and great as the Praxian ones. Some argued this was because all crystals originated in Praxus, because only here they found everything they needed. Some ascribed it to extraordinary capabilities of Praxus’ bots when it came to taking care of the fragile yet resilient structures. Whatever the reason Praxus was famous for its crystals and the most breathtaking of them could be found in the Crystal Gardens.
They were open to anyone who wished to lay optics on the crystals, some of which were said to have been planted at the time the city was founded. In the middle of the park there were trees large enough to be that ancient and older. Their glow and shape could be seen from miles away.
And it was to one of the trees their coordinates pointed them.
“I’ll calm down the park officials. Why don’t you get our favourite thief.” Barricade suggested. Without even waiting for an answer the large mech waved and was gone before Prowl could even begin to protest, leaving his partner to deal with Failsafe on his own.
Huffing to himself Prowl made his way to the area where the ancient crystal trees never ceased growing. Surprised he rebooted as his optics at the sight that greeted him, not entirely sure that he saw right.
However when his golden optics booted up once again, he still saw the ladder leaning against one of the oldest crystal trees, one of a pale silver blue sheen. On one of the highest branches, high up enough in fact that a fall could cause some damage, sat the mech he was looking for, legs casually dangling from the branch, softly humming to himself (the soft silver blue glow of the tree cast the other’s frame in a fetching contrast, he absently noticed).
Until he caught sight of the enforcer, then his visor lit up and he called out toward Prowl. “Fancy seein’ ya here. Wanna join me?”
“No, in fact I would like you to come down of that tree. You are aware of the fact that climbing onto them is forbidden by park rules?”
“Sure Ah know, Ah don’t really care though.” He teased.
“A fall from that height could result in serious damage. For your own safety I must demand, that you climb down immediately.” The thought of the other injured really didn’t sit well with Prowl.
“You’re worried about me! Ah didn’t know ya cared so much.” Distinctly pleased, the mech grinned at the other still standing at the roots of the crystal tree, eyeing the ladder leaning against it.
“My concern for your safety is of a professional nature, I assure you.” The words said one thing, Prowl’s tone said another, which was obvious to the dark silver mech now standing on the tree limb and leaning down precariously.
“Sure thing, Prowler,” he retorted in a breezy tone that left no doubt he knew exactly what Prowl really meant. “Now come up here, Ah brought some energon goodies for us ta share.” Waving a box of said goodies so Prowl could see them he once again urged the doorwinger to join him.
“Either you will come down yourself, or I will have to come up and get you,” Prowl called back, eerily feeling like a creator trying to reason with his recalcitrant youngling. “And my designation is Prowl.”
The other simply snickered. “Sounds more like a promise than a threat ta me.” By now he was indulging in a display of acrobatics that would have looked breathtaking on the ground already, but ridiculously dangerous while balancing on a tree limb, doing cartwheels among other things.
The Praxian felt his spark miss a beat when it looked like the other would slip for a moment. “Please, come down from there. At least cease the acrobatics.” He nearly begged.
Failsafe stopped and crouching down on the branch regarded Prowl with his head tilted to one side. “Make ya a deal, Prowler. Ya join me up here for a couple of minutes an’ Ah will come down alright?”
Stiffling a sigh, Prowl agreed and climbed up the ladder. When he reached his destination a very pleased Failsafe greeted him enthusiastically and proceeded to drag him up the last few steps.
In hindsight Prowl wasn’t really sure whether Failsafe had intended what followed or not, but in that moment he wouldn’t have put it past the other as they watched the ladder fall to the ground on account of having been nudged a little to forcefully when Failsafe had dragged him up.
As it was they both stared at the ladder clattering to the ground, where it was coming to rest, far out of reach of the bots high up in the tree. And there was no one else around, seeing as the park was closed and Barricade was busy with the park officials.
Slowly turning around Prowl locked his gaze on a very sheepish looking thief who was scratching his head.
“Oops?” he ventured, nervously chuckling.
“Oops?” Prowl reiterated, golden optics narrowing at the other. “We are alone, high up in a tree with no one around and our only means of getting down lying on the ground and the only comment you can think about is ´Oops`?”
“Could have been worse, mech. Ah could’ve been up here alone, but now Ha have some good company.”
The black and white felt his doorwings twitch, unable to suppress the movement and it took all his self control not to let his battle computer crash at the illogical thought. He really wasn’t keen on falling.
“And soon we will get some more. I will call my partner, in the meantime please sit still.” Prowl ordered, sitting near the trunk of the tree where the branch was thicker.
When he tried to access him comm. though, to his astonishment he discovered it wasn’t working. The sound of someone clearing their throat reached his audio and he came face to face with an even more sheepish and at the same time smug looking Failsafe.
“Maybe Ah should mention that comm.s don’t work here…” he shrugged. “Tha sing beneath tha tree said its vibrations kind’a blurr signals. A very rare breed of crystals apparently…” His voice trailed off when Prowl slowly crept closer, wings swept up in an imposing v-shape.
Prowl was without doubt not amused.
“Goody?” Failsafe offered in an attempt to distract Prowl and as a kind of peace offering, holding out the large box. Unfortunately Prowl had his mind on other things.
“You planned this, didn’t you.”
“Tha picknick up here, sure. Tha ladder falling down? Not as such, no.”
“Then, pray, how are we going to get back down?” Prowl arched an optic ridge, not sure whether Failsafe was serious, but he decided to simply go along with it this time, if only to spare his battle computer.
“Ah guess we’ll have ta wait for yar partner.” The ever present charming grin was back. “Goody while we wait?” He offered once again.
Prowl dubiously eyed the confections, remembering the bouquet the thief had given him- after stealing it. As if he had read the winged mech’s thoughts Failsafe reassured him.
“They aren’t stolen, thief’s honor, mech.” The mech swore, solemnly placing a servo on his chassis, where his spark was hidden. There was a mischievous glint to his visor, a sign Prowl recognized. It meant the mech thoroughly enjoyed their banter. Then again so did the enforcer.
“Some would argue that those two terms are mutually exclusive.” Prowl remarked dryly, taking the offered energon goody nonetheless. For some reason he wasn’t sure he wanted to figure out he trusted Failsafe.
“Hah, I’ll have ya know that we thieves are as honourable as the next mechs,” he popped an energon goody into his mouth, continuing after he had swallowed, “it’s just another kind o’honour.”
“I didn’t know it comes in various types,” Prowl teased back, then he tasted the goody. It was the best he’d ever tasted, melting on his glossa in a rich sweetness. The bliss he felt must have shown (unbeknownst to him his doorwings were gently fluttering in happiness).
“Sure it does. ‘s like in different cultures. Honour is something different in Iacon than it’s in Kaon, nasty place that. Same with profession, Ah think. Sometimes differences ain’t that great, but they’re there.” He shrugged. “Other things are the same o’ course, like keepin’ yar word.”
Prowl couldn’t help but smile, only a little of course. “So what does a thief’s honour entail?” The doorwinger was genuinely curious, drawn in by the easy conversation. Completely forgetting about their predicament all his attention was on the other mech who was sitting very close beside him. Their servos were almost- but not quite- touching. If Prowl moved his fingertips a little he would touch Failsafe’s…
“First rule’s don’t let yaself get caught, of course.”
“You do seem to have some trouble in adhering to that rule.” Prowl remarked, raising an optic ridge at the cheeky thief who didn’t seem fazed at all.
“Lemme amend that: Don’t let yaself get caught, and if ya really can’t help it, at least get yaself caught with style!” Striking a triumphant pose, a hand on his hip, the other raised high in proclamation, Failsafe was delighted when he actually earned a chuckle from his enforcer.
Then he noticed that the time he had been waiting for had arrived. It was almost perfect timing.
“Hey Prowl, look!”
At that moment from all over the park soft sounds began to rise, growing ever louder. They were coming from the now even more luminously glowing crystals. They were beginning to resonate with each other, different sizes and forms producing different notes, which in turn prompted the crystals to slightly change colour and therefore resonate in a different tone, producing an ever changing symphony, exotic yet beautiful.
It was an event well known in Praxus, so well known in fact that some Praxians had ceased paying attention to it and only sometimes were reminded of that beauty only to forget it again, letting it become routine. Still many Praxians stopped what they were doing to watch and listen, to enjoy the Crystal Hour.
Both could feel the thrum of the tree they were sitting on, which now cast a gentle white light on them. Contently Prowl watched the display, vowing to himself never to take it for granted. Caught up in the reverie he didn’t notice that Failsafe wasn’t watching the crystals. He was watching Prowl.
The black and white seemed to glow himself in the light of the crystals. With his wings and the light over his frame and in his optics he looked ethereal, like he had come straight from the Well of All Sparks.
Savoring the moment neither of them noticed that they were actually holding hands.
They didn’t move until the Crystal Hour was over, both reluctant to break the comfortable silence between them, until Prowl suddenly stiffened. Looking over to see what was wrong Failsafe noticed that Prowl was staring intently at the small space between them. Wondering whatever it was that had captured Prowl’s attention he peeked down himself.
Their hands were still intertwined, Prowl’s white fingers resting between Failsafe’s dark claws. They looked at each other and slowly withdrew from the touch not quite sure what to do or say.
“Uhm… well,” very smooth, Failsafe berated himself, rubbing the back of head and stealing a look at Prowl out of the corner of his optics, grateful the visor was shielding them from view.
There was a deep crimson blush on Prowl’s face, that just wouldn’t go away no matter what the enforcer did, so he settled for staring at his hands in his lap. “So…” he tried desperately trying to find something to talk about. “Did you know your cell now has a plate with your name inscribed on it?” he blurted out.
Noticing Prowl’s discomfort, the thief latched on to the offered topic. “Aw, really? Ah’m touched.” At Prowl’s skeptical look he protested. “Ah really mean it, Sparkles, Ah never had my own cell.”
“Well, from now on you are the sole proud occupant of the cell you were put in ever since your arrival here.” Then what Failsafe said registered completely. “Sparkles?”
“Ma nickname for ya.” The thief smugly pointed out.
“Where did you come up with that?” he asked. Almost as an afterthought he pointed out, “My designation is Prowl.”
Failsafe could hear there was no real conviction behind the token protest, even though Prowl wasn’t aware of it. “Sure thing… Sparkles.”
In this manner they bantered on, occasionally having one of the goodies, genuinely enjoying each other’s company. They both continued to munch on their goodies letting the experience sink in, until Failsafe brought up a very valid question.
“So, when’s yar partner gonna show up to retrieve us?”
“Beats me.”
To Be Continued
Chapter 5
Author: Thalanee
Verse: pre-Movie
Rating: pg-13
Word Count: ca. 2900 words
Warnings: Don’t eat or drink while reading this (if only for the sake of your screen and keyboard). It’s probably not as funny as the other chapters, but let’s make sure.
Disclaimer: Still not mine, sorry. And the name Sparkles is Taralynden’s brain child.
Summary: Goodies or sweets are also customary to express one’s romantic interest… but not while sitting in a restricted area.
Author’s Notes: Wow, long chapter…
Jazz has been in Praxus for a while now, and by now he has all of Prowl’s attention (he’s really quite the attention hog)
XXXXX
About two decacycles later
It was a patrol just as Prowl liked them and Barricade hated them, quiet and without any incidents, the kind of patrol that most including Prowl’s partner would have called mind-bogglingly boring, yet Prowl himself enjoyed them. They were a welcome respite from the mayhem Failsafe had inflicted on them all. Sure the crimes were minor, compared to what he could have done if he put his processor to it, but they were still infractions of the law. Cringing to himself the doorwinger remembered the one time the thief had painted the statue of the Lord Prime with blue and red flame decals (while said Lord visited) and called it redecorating when he had been accused of vandalism after Prowl caught him once again.
The Prime had taken it in stride, actually he had laughed and joked about adapting his own paintjob to match the statue’s (because, no matter how the paintjob got on the statue, it really looked quite dashing, even Prowl couldn’t deny that).
Thus to Prowl a quiet patrol meant peace, no crimes, something he dearly wished for. And for once it really was.
Until their comm. units crackled to life.
::Prowl, Barricade::
::Prowl here, Smokescreen:: the doorwinger answered.
:: Someone from Praxus Crystal Park just called in and asked for our help.:: the enforcer on comm. duty explained. ::Apparently there’s some bot who’s made himself comfortable in the restricted area around the old crystal trees and they can’t get rid of him. So they asked for our help. You and Barricade are closest to the area. Besides, I think you’re going to want to take care of this one::
Something in the other’s tone clued Prowl in on who was torturing the park officials with his cheeky stubbornness. ::It’s Failsafe again, isn’t it::
:: Yes, at least as far as I can make out from the description we were given. ::
:: He, I wouldn’t be surprised if Failsafe asked for Prowl specifically.:: Barricade sounded almost giddy at the prospect of getting more material for his ever growing “Reasons I love this criminal” file. He relished the amusement he got from it. Prowl just wanted it gone…
An embarrassed silence from the other end of the line told Barricade that he had hit home. Prowl was not amused.
:: Why are you indulging that criminal? :: he demanded to know, even as his spark did little skips of anticipation he studiously tried to ignore.
After a few moments in which Smokescreen tried to come up with something besides “Because it’s hilarious”, he decided to tell Prowl what all the enforcers knew to be true. Besides the enforcer cum psychiatrist thought Prowl needed to hear it. ::Because he’s good for you.::
:: Excuse me?:: the small enforcer was stumped, to tell the truth.
::I’ll take it from here, Smokescreen.:: Barricade answered in his stead, and the comm. line to the precinct closed. This was between partners now.
“He’s good for you,” Barricade repeated. “He makes you open up in a way even I don’t manage to, he even makes you laugh about his antics.” Prowl was about to protest, but Barricade shushed him. “Don’t even think about denying it, I know you found that one where he painted the statue amusing, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
“He’s still a criminal.”
“But not a really bad one. We both know he could do worse, and yet he’s never really done anyone harm, apart from the odd theft, and even then, he always picked people who wouldn’t really feel the damage.” Barricade eyed his silent partner thoughtfully.
Prowl wanted to reply, but in all honesty he didn’t know what to say. Reluctant as he was to admit so, he knew Barricade was right. Primus knew he had spent enough time thinking about the dark silver mech ever since he had made his first appearance in Praxus.
“He may be a criminal, but he’s not a bad mech. Think about it.” Barricade just added. Prowl was spared from trying to formulate an appropriate answer by their arrival at Praxus’ famous Crystal Park.
Praxian Crystals were renowned throughout all of Cybertron for their beauty. Some varieties grew in other cities, but never as glorious and great as the Praxian ones. Some argued this was because all crystals originated in Praxus, because only here they found everything they needed. Some ascribed it to extraordinary capabilities of Praxus’ bots when it came to taking care of the fragile yet resilient structures. Whatever the reason Praxus was famous for its crystals and the most breathtaking of them could be found in the Crystal Gardens.
They were open to anyone who wished to lay optics on the crystals, some of which were said to have been planted at the time the city was founded. In the middle of the park there were trees large enough to be that ancient and older. Their glow and shape could be seen from miles away.
And it was to one of the trees their coordinates pointed them.
“I’ll calm down the park officials. Why don’t you get our favourite thief.” Barricade suggested. Without even waiting for an answer the large mech waved and was gone before Prowl could even begin to protest, leaving his partner to deal with Failsafe on his own.
Huffing to himself Prowl made his way to the area where the ancient crystal trees never ceased growing. Surprised he rebooted as his optics at the sight that greeted him, not entirely sure that he saw right.
However when his golden optics booted up once again, he still saw the ladder leaning against one of the oldest crystal trees, one of a pale silver blue sheen. On one of the highest branches, high up enough in fact that a fall could cause some damage, sat the mech he was looking for, legs casually dangling from the branch, softly humming to himself (the soft silver blue glow of the tree cast the other’s frame in a fetching contrast, he absently noticed).
Until he caught sight of the enforcer, then his visor lit up and he called out toward Prowl. “Fancy seein’ ya here. Wanna join me?”
“No, in fact I would like you to come down of that tree. You are aware of the fact that climbing onto them is forbidden by park rules?”
“Sure Ah know, Ah don’t really care though.” He teased.
“A fall from that height could result in serious damage. For your own safety I must demand, that you climb down immediately.” The thought of the other injured really didn’t sit well with Prowl.
“You’re worried about me! Ah didn’t know ya cared so much.” Distinctly pleased, the mech grinned at the other still standing at the roots of the crystal tree, eyeing the ladder leaning against it.
“My concern for your safety is of a professional nature, I assure you.” The words said one thing, Prowl’s tone said another, which was obvious to the dark silver mech now standing on the tree limb and leaning down precariously.
“Sure thing, Prowler,” he retorted in a breezy tone that left no doubt he knew exactly what Prowl really meant. “Now come up here, Ah brought some energon goodies for us ta share.” Waving a box of said goodies so Prowl could see them he once again urged the doorwinger to join him.
“Either you will come down yourself, or I will have to come up and get you,” Prowl called back, eerily feeling like a creator trying to reason with his recalcitrant youngling. “And my designation is Prowl.”
The other simply snickered. “Sounds more like a promise than a threat ta me.” By now he was indulging in a display of acrobatics that would have looked breathtaking on the ground already, but ridiculously dangerous while balancing on a tree limb, doing cartwheels among other things.
The Praxian felt his spark miss a beat when it looked like the other would slip for a moment. “Please, come down from there. At least cease the acrobatics.” He nearly begged.
Failsafe stopped and crouching down on the branch regarded Prowl with his head tilted to one side. “Make ya a deal, Prowler. Ya join me up here for a couple of minutes an’ Ah will come down alright?”
Stiffling a sigh, Prowl agreed and climbed up the ladder. When he reached his destination a very pleased Failsafe greeted him enthusiastically and proceeded to drag him up the last few steps.
In hindsight Prowl wasn’t really sure whether Failsafe had intended what followed or not, but in that moment he wouldn’t have put it past the other as they watched the ladder fall to the ground on account of having been nudged a little to forcefully when Failsafe had dragged him up.
As it was they both stared at the ladder clattering to the ground, where it was coming to rest, far out of reach of the bots high up in the tree. And there was no one else around, seeing as the park was closed and Barricade was busy with the park officials.
Slowly turning around Prowl locked his gaze on a very sheepish looking thief who was scratching his head.
“Oops?” he ventured, nervously chuckling.
“Oops?” Prowl reiterated, golden optics narrowing at the other. “We are alone, high up in a tree with no one around and our only means of getting down lying on the ground and the only comment you can think about is ´Oops`?”
“Could have been worse, mech. Ah could’ve been up here alone, but now Ha have some good company.”
The black and white felt his doorwings twitch, unable to suppress the movement and it took all his self control not to let his battle computer crash at the illogical thought. He really wasn’t keen on falling.
“And soon we will get some more. I will call my partner, in the meantime please sit still.” Prowl ordered, sitting near the trunk of the tree where the branch was thicker.
When he tried to access him comm. though, to his astonishment he discovered it wasn’t working. The sound of someone clearing their throat reached his audio and he came face to face with an even more sheepish and at the same time smug looking Failsafe.
“Maybe Ah should mention that comm.s don’t work here…” he shrugged. “Tha sing beneath tha tree said its vibrations kind’a blurr signals. A very rare breed of crystals apparently…” His voice trailed off when Prowl slowly crept closer, wings swept up in an imposing v-shape.
Prowl was without doubt not amused.
“Goody?” Failsafe offered in an attempt to distract Prowl and as a kind of peace offering, holding out the large box. Unfortunately Prowl had his mind on other things.
“You planned this, didn’t you.”
“Tha picknick up here, sure. Tha ladder falling down? Not as such, no.”
“Then, pray, how are we going to get back down?” Prowl arched an optic ridge, not sure whether Failsafe was serious, but he decided to simply go along with it this time, if only to spare his battle computer.
“Ah guess we’ll have ta wait for yar partner.” The ever present charming grin was back. “Goody while we wait?” He offered once again.
Prowl dubiously eyed the confections, remembering the bouquet the thief had given him- after stealing it. As if he had read the winged mech’s thoughts Failsafe reassured him.
“They aren’t stolen, thief’s honor, mech.” The mech swore, solemnly placing a servo on his chassis, where his spark was hidden. There was a mischievous glint to his visor, a sign Prowl recognized. It meant the mech thoroughly enjoyed their banter. Then again so did the enforcer.
“Some would argue that those two terms are mutually exclusive.” Prowl remarked dryly, taking the offered energon goody nonetheless. For some reason he wasn’t sure he wanted to figure out he trusted Failsafe.
“Hah, I’ll have ya know that we thieves are as honourable as the next mechs,” he popped an energon goody into his mouth, continuing after he had swallowed, “it’s just another kind o’honour.”
“I didn’t know it comes in various types,” Prowl teased back, then he tasted the goody. It was the best he’d ever tasted, melting on his glossa in a rich sweetness. The bliss he felt must have shown (unbeknownst to him his doorwings were gently fluttering in happiness).
“Sure it does. ‘s like in different cultures. Honour is something different in Iacon than it’s in Kaon, nasty place that. Same with profession, Ah think. Sometimes differences ain’t that great, but they’re there.” He shrugged. “Other things are the same o’ course, like keepin’ yar word.”
Prowl couldn’t help but smile, only a little of course. “So what does a thief’s honour entail?” The doorwinger was genuinely curious, drawn in by the easy conversation. Completely forgetting about their predicament all his attention was on the other mech who was sitting very close beside him. Their servos were almost- but not quite- touching. If Prowl moved his fingertips a little he would touch Failsafe’s…
“First rule’s don’t let yaself get caught, of course.”
“You do seem to have some trouble in adhering to that rule.” Prowl remarked, raising an optic ridge at the cheeky thief who didn’t seem fazed at all.
“Lemme amend that: Don’t let yaself get caught, and if ya really can’t help it, at least get yaself caught with style!” Striking a triumphant pose, a hand on his hip, the other raised high in proclamation, Failsafe was delighted when he actually earned a chuckle from his enforcer.
Then he noticed that the time he had been waiting for had arrived. It was almost perfect timing.
“Hey Prowl, look!”
At that moment from all over the park soft sounds began to rise, growing ever louder. They were coming from the now even more luminously glowing crystals. They were beginning to resonate with each other, different sizes and forms producing different notes, which in turn prompted the crystals to slightly change colour and therefore resonate in a different tone, producing an ever changing symphony, exotic yet beautiful.
It was an event well known in Praxus, so well known in fact that some Praxians had ceased paying attention to it and only sometimes were reminded of that beauty only to forget it again, letting it become routine. Still many Praxians stopped what they were doing to watch and listen, to enjoy the Crystal Hour.
Both could feel the thrum of the tree they were sitting on, which now cast a gentle white light on them. Contently Prowl watched the display, vowing to himself never to take it for granted. Caught up in the reverie he didn’t notice that Failsafe wasn’t watching the crystals. He was watching Prowl.
The black and white seemed to glow himself in the light of the crystals. With his wings and the light over his frame and in his optics he looked ethereal, like he had come straight from the Well of All Sparks.
Savoring the moment neither of them noticed that they were actually holding hands.
They didn’t move until the Crystal Hour was over, both reluctant to break the comfortable silence between them, until Prowl suddenly stiffened. Looking over to see what was wrong Failsafe noticed that Prowl was staring intently at the small space between them. Wondering whatever it was that had captured Prowl’s attention he peeked down himself.
Their hands were still intertwined, Prowl’s white fingers resting between Failsafe’s dark claws. They looked at each other and slowly withdrew from the touch not quite sure what to do or say.
“Uhm… well,” very smooth, Failsafe berated himself, rubbing the back of head and stealing a look at Prowl out of the corner of his optics, grateful the visor was shielding them from view.
There was a deep crimson blush on Prowl’s face, that just wouldn’t go away no matter what the enforcer did, so he settled for staring at his hands in his lap. “So…” he tried desperately trying to find something to talk about. “Did you know your cell now has a plate with your name inscribed on it?” he blurted out.
Noticing Prowl’s discomfort, the thief latched on to the offered topic. “Aw, really? Ah’m touched.” At Prowl’s skeptical look he protested. “Ah really mean it, Sparkles, Ah never had my own cell.”
“Well, from now on you are the sole proud occupant of the cell you were put in ever since your arrival here.” Then what Failsafe said registered completely. “Sparkles?”
“Ma nickname for ya.” The thief smugly pointed out.
“Where did you come up with that?” he asked. Almost as an afterthought he pointed out, “My designation is Prowl.”
Failsafe could hear there was no real conviction behind the token protest, even though Prowl wasn’t aware of it. “Sure thing… Sparkles.”
In this manner they bantered on, occasionally having one of the goodies, genuinely enjoying each other’s company. They both continued to munch on their goodies letting the experience sink in, until Failsafe brought up a very valid question.
“So, when’s yar partner gonna show up to retrieve us?”
“Beats me.”
To Be Continued