Cold Spark - Chapter 4
Title: Cold Spark (Chapter 4 of ?)
Verse: G1 with references to WFC later
Rating: PG
Other Characters: Ironhide
Warnings: cursing
Summary/Notes: Optimus sends Prowl to Ironhide for relationship advice.
(I do not own Transformers.)
Prowl sat down across from Ironhide and stared at the weapons specialist. While Prowl did greatly respect Ironhide as a soldier and a loyal Autobot, he was old and gruff and stubborn. Prowl computed that there was only a 5.8 percent probability that Ironhide could actually provide any advice to help Prowl with his current problem. With that thought in his processor, Prowl entertained the thought of ripping off Ironhide’s plasma cannon and dumping the mangled weapon on Optimus’ desk just to let Optimus know what Prowl thought of this. With a small sigh, Prowl’s attention returned to the soldier and he noticed that Ironhide was quietly regarding him with knowing optics. That further focused the tactician’s attention. Prowl realized he was missing something here.
***
Ironhide watched as Prowl sat down and he saw the range of thoughts that went through the tactician’s processor. While he didn’t know specifically what Prowl was thinking, he had a good idea that Prowl was tempted to leap over the desk and let Ironhide know what the tactician really thought about this situation. Fragged-off tacticians were known to be violent. The fact that Prowl (and Jazz) was suffering from some type of alteration to his personality subroutines clouded the issue. No matter what had triggered the current disagreement or the underlying reason for it, Ironhide still recognized some of the problems that Prowl and Jazz were facing. They had some relationship issues and their current medical mystery had only served force them to confront them sooner rather than later. While Ratchet would have to figure out the cause for the alterations, Ironhide knew that the problems at the root of their relationship needed a different kind of help. Utilizing patience which had been honed over a lifetime, Ironhide waited until Prowl’s attention was finally drawn back to the office they sat in.
***
Prowl realized with a start that Ironhide was being very patient. That seemed strange from a mech that was prone to shoot first and ask questions later. Chromia. Ironhide was bonded to Chromia. That must have been why Optimus sent Prowl to speak to Ironhide. The problem was that Chromia was not on Earth. Prowl thought for a moment and wondered how long Ironhide and Chromia had been bonded. He realized that Ironhide had already been bonded to Chromia when the tactician first met the weapons specialist. This did not sit well with Prowl. If Ironhide could tolerate being so far apart from his bondmate for so long, what kind of relationship did they really have? Had their bond been weak from the start or had it broken down over time? Prowl recomputed the probability of Ironhide being able to help him and found it had been reduced to 2.1 percent. This was not at all encouraging.
***
Finally, Ironhide spoke. “You and Jazz are failin’ to communicate,” he said softly.
Prowl was ready to remove that plasma cannon slowly and painfully.
“Let me start by tellin’ you about me and Chromia,” he drawled.
***
It turned out that Ironhide was quite the romantic. Prowl would never have guessed the depth of his relationship with Chromia. They had been bonded longer than Prowl and Jazz’s existence put together. Of course he and Chromia had argued, sometimes violently, as was the case between two warriors. Prowl just listened for a while as Ironhide spoke of his deep love for his mate. Even though Chromia was nowhere near Earth at the moment, Prowl noticed Ironhide pause briefly from time to time and Prowl recognized it as communication through his bond with his lover. Prowl was amazed they could do this across the vast distance that separated them. Their bond must have been exceptionally strong. Prowl had to admit he had been wrong about the strength of their bond. Prowl admired the strength of the bond and their obvious commitment.
Prowl could sense nothing through his bond with Jazz. They were on the same planet and it was almost as if they had never bonded. It nearly crushed Prowl’s spark especially to know how strong a bond could be.
Ironhide finished speaking to both Prowl and Chromia and looked across his desk at the tactician. “Well?” he asked.
“Well what?” Prowl asked slightly annoyed.
“Ain’t you going to ask how Chromia and me have managed to work things out?” Ironhide prompted.
“Very well,” Prowl said. “How do you and Chromia make your relationship work after all this time and being so far apart?”
“You just saw it Prowl. We work at it,” Ironhide said with a grin.
Prowl shook his helm. “I’ve tried. Jazz simply won’t listen to me.”
“He don’t want to listen to you,” Ironhide said gently.
“No offense, Ironhide, but you are stating the obvious,” Prowl replied coolly.
“Prowl,” Ironhide said softly, “you and Jazz were friends for a long time and then you quickly stepped into the role of lovers. That’s fine. You even took the step of bondin’. That, as you know, is a profound step that no one completely understands, even those of us who have bonded.”
Prowl nodded in misery. He certainly didn’t understand what was happening at the moment with Jazz.
“Prowl, do you know where Jazz is right now?” Ironhide asked.
“No,” Prowl answered sulkily. “Jazz is an exceptional saboteur. He helped design the security system here and knows how to work around it. He can evade all of the security cameras. Not even Red Alert knows where he has been hiding.”
Ironhide slowly shook his helm. “Do you know where Jazz is right now?” he asked again.
“I already told you…” Prowl began but was cut off by the warrior.
“Where is Jazz right now?” Ironhide asked sternly.
Prowl went very still.
“Use your bond, Prowl. Jazz don’t have to answer for you to find him,” Ironhide said softly.
Prowl stared at Ironhide not quite comprehending what the old mech was saying.
Ironhide looked kindly at Prowl, “Use your bond to find him. Right now, sittin’ here, search for him. Just allow yourself to find him.”
Prowl sank into his seat but did as directed. He relaxed and didn’t force anything through the bond. He allowed it to take him to Jazz. Even though his mate didn’t reach through the bond to Prowl, the tactician could sense Jazz. Prowl yearned for the saboteur. He kept relaxed though and eventually discovered the storage closet where Jazz had set a recharge mat and was hiding in a miserable and lonely existence. “I know where his is,” Prowl whispered in wonder.
“Good,” Ironhide nodded.
“Now what?” Prowl asked.
Ironhide grinned, “Now, you are goin’ to romance your mate until he returns to you.”
Prowl could only stare at Ironhide. His tactical processor had locked up.