Fall Challenge - Theme Song
Title: Understanding
Universe: G1 (AUish)
Pairing: Jazz/Bumblebee
Word Count: 1,617
Rating: PG 13
Warnings: Vague hinting towards interface & murder, plus a little cybertronian swearing.
Summary: When Bumblebee is upset, Jazz is always there to help.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.
AN: This is set in the same universe as Visibly Invisible, but is back before Jazz and Bee are "serious". The song that inspired it is I'll Stand By You by The Pretenders. I've always got Jazz/Bee feels from this song, so many feels.
Enjoy. :)
Jazz stopped just inside the doorway to his shared quarters, his expression slightly sad as he looked at the small mech curled up on the berth in the corner. He hated it when Bumblebee was upset, not only because it usually meant it was something serious. His small team mate was generally so light sparked that he withdrew completely when something upset him… and that was something Jazz definitely didn't approve of… especially with the way things had progressed between them of late.
He cycled a silent sigh as he moved over to the berth and sat down, his optics resting on his partner, concerned by how tightly he was curled up.
"C'mon Bee… I know you're not in recharge." He said as he nudged him gently, hoping to get him talking about what was bothering him.
"Jazz… I'm really not in the mood to talk." Bumblebee's voice was muffled by the way his faceplate was pressed into the berth, but the waver in it was still audible. Jazz's shoulders slumped slightly as his gaze slid to the far wall, his processor ticking over ways to bring Bumblebee out of his slump without pushing. For a long moment everything was silent in the room before the saboteur smiled faintly.
"Did ya know that the first mech I ever offlined was the same mech that offlined my creators?" Bumblebee didn't move, but Jazz knew he was listening… he always was. "I had help of course, but I was the one that actually offlined him." Jazz leaned back on his hands, his visor dimming as he considered his memories.
"I took it upon myself to offline him, would've been slagged if anyone found out what I'd... what we'd done. See, my creators were enforcers, but they'd been offlined on duty and nobody could tell me what happened. Or maybe I mean nobody would tell me what happened, I'm still not sure on that point. I was only a trainee enforcer myself, but I was angry… real angry, and I was ready to fight my way to the top to find out what had happened. Then this mech I'd never even met before comes out of nowhere and tells me that he can help." Bumblebee shifted slightly on the berth but Jazz kept his gaze off him. He'd learned by now that he was best off letting the minibot choose when to respond, pushing only made him close off more.
"We worked hard, but we made a slagging good team. We hacked systems, talked to everyone we could, bribed and threatened those we couldn't just talk to and eventually we got lucky. So there we were, a trainee enforcer, and this other mech who wasn't even that, and we had managed to find out what none of the enforcers had." Bumblebee snorted earning a quick grin before Jazz became serious again.
"As soon as we could we tracked the mech down. We cornered him in an alley and while my friend was distracting him... I came up behind him and slit his main energon lines." Jazz's voice faded as he smiled grimly. "My friend stood watch in case anyone came running as I watched him bleed dry. Even now I don't regret it, though many would fault me for that. When he greyed, we took off, getting away from the scene as fast as we could without drawing attention to ourselves." Jazz paused, tilting his helm slightly in consideration.
"As we were running I'd never been so grateful having that mech with me. Not only because I couldn't have done what I bad without him, but because he'd stood by me from the start, even when I told him what I planned. He'd seen the darkness in my spark and he hadn't left me, instead he'd helped me." Jazz smiled wryly. "Of course, he chose that moment to tell me he was leaving, that he wasn't coming back with me. Ya know what he said to me though?" Jazz asked as he finally looked down at his small companion.
"If you ever need me, comm me and I'll be there, no matter what." Bumblebee recited earning a bright grin from Jazz.
"And he was. He didn't even hesitate when I commed him to get him to join me here, even though it meant becoming a soldier. He was the first one I thought of when I was asked if I knew anyone who I thought would make a good recruit. Of course, I could have just been saying it as an excuse to get him here." He confided in a mock thoughtful tone that had Bumblebee shaking his helm at him, barely hiding a smile.
"Why did you recount that to me?" The minibot asked after a moment. Jazz shrugged, a half smile curling his lips.
"You're moping. Figured you needed some reminding." Bumblebee snorted.
"Reminding about what?" He asked flatly, his optics narrowing slightly.
"That you aren't alone. That I'm here for ya just like you were for me back then. Ya need ta remember that no matter what Primus throws at us, I'll be here with ya. I'll stand up for ya, stand beside ya through everything and I'm not going to ever judge you for anything, we're friends, team mates, partners... and I'm here ta listen if ya wanna lighten your spark... always." Bumblebee was silent for a long moment before he sat up, leaning against the wall as he looked at Jazz with a serious expression.
"I didn't realise how much it would upset me." He said softly, his optics dim. "I thought I was prepared for what that mission would require of me."
"No mech is going to blame you for feeling bad that ya had ta offline somebot Bee." Jazz said softly but Bumblebee shook his helm, his fists clenching.
"That's the thing Jazz... I don't feel bad." Jazz's visor flickered slightly in confusion as Bumblebee looked away. "I don't feel bad at all. It felt so good to see them offline, to know I'd stopped them from ever hurting anyone else. I watched that base blow and none of them got out and I was glad." His shoulders slumped.
"Then I got back here and everyone wondered where I'd been scouting and had I heard that explosion? Then they mouthed off when I told them I hadn't. Do you know they were actually talking about how your whole department was ridiculous?"
"Our department Bee. I'ma repeat that until it gets into yer processor." Bumblebee waved a servo, disregarding Jazz's interjection. Jazz raised an optic ridge, Bumblebee really was angry about this.
"They just kept on saying that what we're doing is pointless and that we should just learn how to shoot properly since that's how the war will be won. I just got so angry, all I wanted to do was yell at them and demand they actually use their processors and think for once... but instead of arguing with them I just walked away." Bumblebee scowled.
"Just like always I slagging walked away. I didn't argue, I didn't point out why what we do is so important, no, I just smiled and left so I didn't disabuse them of the idea that I'm nothing more than a sweet smile. And the only reason I did that was because I don't want to have to field questions on what I do all the time." Jazz was silent but he reached out and clapped a servo on Bumblebee's shoulder before pulling his small partner into his arms.
"I know why you wanted that mission." He admitted softly, feeling Bumblebee tense. "It's alright Bee, I understand. If I hadn't had other stuff I couldn't get out of I would've been there with you watching them burn to the pits." Bumblebee looked down and Jazz's spark pulsed in sympathy.
"They were my creators." Bumblebee whispered, sorrow overtaking the anger in his voice and Jazz knew he'd found the real reason for Bumblebee's mood. "And those pitslaggers offlined them... simply because they were there."
"I know." Jazz murmured, feeling Bumblebee press deeper into his arms, small servos grasping at him almost desperately.
"I stood there watching the base crumble and all I could think was that it wasn't enough. That it would never be enough. Then all I could think was that I never want to let them win, that I'll offline before I let them win." Jazz's embrace tightened, not at all liking the thought of Bumblebee offlining.
"We won't let that happen." Jazz said lowly. "We'll work together and we'll make sure they don't win. We'll probably have to do some pretty awful stuff, but if it gets rid of them I think it'll be worth it. Ya with me?" Bumblebee glanced up with a smile.
"Jazz, I've been with you since I approached you in the data room that joor. If I'm willing to help you find a way to offline your creators murderer, I think I'm willing to stand with you to help save our planet by any means necessary." Jazz grinned brightly.
"And that my mech, is why you're my mech." Bumblebee raised a sceptical optic ridge but Jazz ignored it, his spark pulsing with anticipation now that the crisis was apparently over. "Which leads me to the other reason I was looking for you."
"Which is?" Bumblebee asked, his tone more amused than anything else.
"Having some fun with my mech." Bumblebee didn't have time to respond with anything more than a surprised laugh as Jazz grinned at him and pounced. There'd be time for them to discuss their worries and regrets later, but right now it was time for fun.
Universe: G1 (AUish)
Pairing: Jazz/Bumblebee
Word Count: 1,617
Rating: PG 13
Warnings: Vague hinting towards interface & murder, plus a little cybertronian swearing.
Summary: When Bumblebee is upset, Jazz is always there to help.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.
AN: This is set in the same universe as Visibly Invisible, but is back before Jazz and Bee are "serious". The song that inspired it is I'll Stand By You by The Pretenders. I've always got Jazz/Bee feels from this song, so many feels.
Enjoy. :)
Jazz stopped just inside the doorway to his shared quarters, his expression slightly sad as he looked at the small mech curled up on the berth in the corner. He hated it when Bumblebee was upset, not only because it usually meant it was something serious. His small team mate was generally so light sparked that he withdrew completely when something upset him… and that was something Jazz definitely didn't approve of… especially with the way things had progressed between them of late.
He cycled a silent sigh as he moved over to the berth and sat down, his optics resting on his partner, concerned by how tightly he was curled up.
"C'mon Bee… I know you're not in recharge." He said as he nudged him gently, hoping to get him talking about what was bothering him.
"Jazz… I'm really not in the mood to talk." Bumblebee's voice was muffled by the way his faceplate was pressed into the berth, but the waver in it was still audible. Jazz's shoulders slumped slightly as his gaze slid to the far wall, his processor ticking over ways to bring Bumblebee out of his slump without pushing. For a long moment everything was silent in the room before the saboteur smiled faintly.
"Did ya know that the first mech I ever offlined was the same mech that offlined my creators?" Bumblebee didn't move, but Jazz knew he was listening… he always was. "I had help of course, but I was the one that actually offlined him." Jazz leaned back on his hands, his visor dimming as he considered his memories.
"I took it upon myself to offline him, would've been slagged if anyone found out what I'd... what we'd done. See, my creators were enforcers, but they'd been offlined on duty and nobody could tell me what happened. Or maybe I mean nobody would tell me what happened, I'm still not sure on that point. I was only a trainee enforcer myself, but I was angry… real angry, and I was ready to fight my way to the top to find out what had happened. Then this mech I'd never even met before comes out of nowhere and tells me that he can help." Bumblebee shifted slightly on the berth but Jazz kept his gaze off him. He'd learned by now that he was best off letting the minibot choose when to respond, pushing only made him close off more.
"We worked hard, but we made a slagging good team. We hacked systems, talked to everyone we could, bribed and threatened those we couldn't just talk to and eventually we got lucky. So there we were, a trainee enforcer, and this other mech who wasn't even that, and we had managed to find out what none of the enforcers had." Bumblebee snorted earning a quick grin before Jazz became serious again.
"As soon as we could we tracked the mech down. We cornered him in an alley and while my friend was distracting him... I came up behind him and slit his main energon lines." Jazz's voice faded as he smiled grimly. "My friend stood watch in case anyone came running as I watched him bleed dry. Even now I don't regret it, though many would fault me for that. When he greyed, we took off, getting away from the scene as fast as we could without drawing attention to ourselves." Jazz paused, tilting his helm slightly in consideration.
"As we were running I'd never been so grateful having that mech with me. Not only because I couldn't have done what I bad without him, but because he'd stood by me from the start, even when I told him what I planned. He'd seen the darkness in my spark and he hadn't left me, instead he'd helped me." Jazz smiled wryly. "Of course, he chose that moment to tell me he was leaving, that he wasn't coming back with me. Ya know what he said to me though?" Jazz asked as he finally looked down at his small companion.
"If you ever need me, comm me and I'll be there, no matter what." Bumblebee recited earning a bright grin from Jazz.
"And he was. He didn't even hesitate when I commed him to get him to join me here, even though it meant becoming a soldier. He was the first one I thought of when I was asked if I knew anyone who I thought would make a good recruit. Of course, I could have just been saying it as an excuse to get him here." He confided in a mock thoughtful tone that had Bumblebee shaking his helm at him, barely hiding a smile.
"Why did you recount that to me?" The minibot asked after a moment. Jazz shrugged, a half smile curling his lips.
"You're moping. Figured you needed some reminding." Bumblebee snorted.
"Reminding about what?" He asked flatly, his optics narrowing slightly.
"That you aren't alone. That I'm here for ya just like you were for me back then. Ya need ta remember that no matter what Primus throws at us, I'll be here with ya. I'll stand up for ya, stand beside ya through everything and I'm not going to ever judge you for anything, we're friends, team mates, partners... and I'm here ta listen if ya wanna lighten your spark... always." Bumblebee was silent for a long moment before he sat up, leaning against the wall as he looked at Jazz with a serious expression.
"I didn't realise how much it would upset me." He said softly, his optics dim. "I thought I was prepared for what that mission would require of me."
"No mech is going to blame you for feeling bad that ya had ta offline somebot Bee." Jazz said softly but Bumblebee shook his helm, his fists clenching.
"That's the thing Jazz... I don't feel bad." Jazz's visor flickered slightly in confusion as Bumblebee looked away. "I don't feel bad at all. It felt so good to see them offline, to know I'd stopped them from ever hurting anyone else. I watched that base blow and none of them got out and I was glad." His shoulders slumped.
"Then I got back here and everyone wondered where I'd been scouting and had I heard that explosion? Then they mouthed off when I told them I hadn't. Do you know they were actually talking about how your whole department was ridiculous?"
"Our department Bee. I'ma repeat that until it gets into yer processor." Bumblebee waved a servo, disregarding Jazz's interjection. Jazz raised an optic ridge, Bumblebee really was angry about this.
"They just kept on saying that what we're doing is pointless and that we should just learn how to shoot properly since that's how the war will be won. I just got so angry, all I wanted to do was yell at them and demand they actually use their processors and think for once... but instead of arguing with them I just walked away." Bumblebee scowled.
"Just like always I slagging walked away. I didn't argue, I didn't point out why what we do is so important, no, I just smiled and left so I didn't disabuse them of the idea that I'm nothing more than a sweet smile. And the only reason I did that was because I don't want to have to field questions on what I do all the time." Jazz was silent but he reached out and clapped a servo on Bumblebee's shoulder before pulling his small partner into his arms.
"I know why you wanted that mission." He admitted softly, feeling Bumblebee tense. "It's alright Bee, I understand. If I hadn't had other stuff I couldn't get out of I would've been there with you watching them burn to the pits." Bumblebee looked down and Jazz's spark pulsed in sympathy.
"They were my creators." Bumblebee whispered, sorrow overtaking the anger in his voice and Jazz knew he'd found the real reason for Bumblebee's mood. "And those pitslaggers offlined them... simply because they were there."
"I know." Jazz murmured, feeling Bumblebee press deeper into his arms, small servos grasping at him almost desperately.
"I stood there watching the base crumble and all I could think was that it wasn't enough. That it would never be enough. Then all I could think was that I never want to let them win, that I'll offline before I let them win." Jazz's embrace tightened, not at all liking the thought of Bumblebee offlining.
"We won't let that happen." Jazz said lowly. "We'll work together and we'll make sure they don't win. We'll probably have to do some pretty awful stuff, but if it gets rid of them I think it'll be worth it. Ya with me?" Bumblebee glanced up with a smile.
"Jazz, I've been with you since I approached you in the data room that joor. If I'm willing to help you find a way to offline your creators murderer, I think I'm willing to stand with you to help save our planet by any means necessary." Jazz grinned brightly.
"And that my mech, is why you're my mech." Bumblebee raised a sceptical optic ridge but Jazz ignored it, his spark pulsing with anticipation now that the crisis was apparently over. "Which leads me to the other reason I was looking for you."
"Which is?" Bumblebee asked, his tone more amused than anything else.
"Having some fun with my mech." Bumblebee didn't have time to respond with anything more than a surprised laugh as Jazz grinned at him and pounced. There'd be time for them to discuss their worries and regrets later, but right now it was time for fun.