28s meme- On His Knees Red Alert - (G1) PG-13
Events have been conspiring to keep me from finishing my drabblets. Obviously, there must be Decepticons involved!
Title: Through Fire and Flame (28 Red Alerts)
Chapter: On His Knees Red Alert
Rating: PG -13
Warning: Slash, strongly implied Starscream/Red Alert with some rather dubious consent
Summary: Red Alert tries to pretend everything is still the same after the events of Auto Berserk, while his friends worry.
x-xxx-x
“Hey Red Alert?” Smokescreen jogged to catch up to the Security Director. “I just wanted to say that I’m here, if you need someone to talk to.”
“Thank you, but no. I’m fine,” came the clipped answer.
“Well, if not me, you could talk to Inferno.” Smokescreen fell into step beside him. “I know he’s worried about you and it really can help to open up to someone-”
Red Alert stopped short. “I’m fine. I don’t want to talk to you, Inferno, or Optimus slagging Prime himself. I don’t need to open up to anyone!” Red Alert snapped with a glare.
If you’re fine, I’m a purple petro-rabbit, Smokescreen thought, watching Red Alert’s retreating back. But I really shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always been the kind that had to be coaxed into even the littlest admissions. But maybe Inferno will have better luck…
x-x-x
Red Alert punched the access code to his quarters. A few seconds and he’d be safe in his own room, away from both the accusing optics and frustrating-but-well-meaning questions that had been following him ever since Ratchet let him out of the repair bay. The Autobots seemed split between waiting for him to betray them all to the Decepticons and waiting for him to have a meltdown in the hallway.
“Red?”
Red Alert groaned.Speaking of well-meaning irritants… He turned to look up at Inferno.
“Are you alright?” Inferno asked worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Red Alert growled, irrationally annoyed by his concern. “Would you people stop asking me that?” Inferno just looked at him, making a twinge of guilt go through Red Alert’s spark.
“Prime wants to see you,” Inferno said quietly after a moment.
Red Alert sighed, slumping against the doorframe. “Fine,” he said tiredly, clearing the keypad. He trailed Inferno down the hallway.
Optimus was waiting for them in his office. He glanced up as they entered, setting aside his work. “Ah, Red. Please, sit.”
Red Alert sat nervously in the indicated chair. Inferno patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. “I’ll be outside,” he murmured, leaving Optimus and Red Alert alone.
Optimus waited for the door to close behind Inferno before coming around the desk to sit opposite Red Alert with a somber look.
“We’ve been worried about you, Red.”
“I gathered that,” Red Alert muttered, fidgeting, his optics focused on the bottom of the desk.
Optimus leaned forward, hands clasped. “I know what happened to you is difficult for you to speak of, but I’m here for you, whenever you need anything. If you can’t talk to me, then Inferno-”
Red Alert stared helplessly at him. How can I even start to- I can’t- What do I tell him about -
Fingertips brushed the edge of Red Alert’s doors. “You trust me, don’t you Red?”
“I… I don’t know…” Red Alert stared at Starscream, trying desperately to focus through the blinding pain in his head. “Inferno…” Where was Inferno? Why wasn’t he there? Inferno always knew what to do…
“Inferno betrayed you, remember? They all lied to you, Red. Everyone but me,” Starscream murmured, lightly tracing the decals on his doors. “It’s just you and I; you remember that, don’t you?”
“Yes…” Inferno had abandoned him, hadn’t he? It was just so hard to think and the way Starscream’s thumb had slipped under his door to rub soothing little circles on the adding beneath felt so nice…
Starscream’s smile was sharp and victorious. Red Alert didn’t protest when the seeker’s other hand slipped around to tease the seam on the back of his leg. He didn’t even protest when Starscream shoved him up against the wall-
“I can’t,” Red Alert whispered brokenly. “I- I can’t tell Inferno what I…” he trailed off, shaking.
Optimus knelt in front of him, resting a comforting hand on his leg. “Red, listen to me. What happened was not your fault.”
Red Alert opened his mouth to protest.
“No, Red,” Optimus stopped him, gently but firmly. “No ‘buts’. None of it was your fault.”
Red Alert stared into his optics, searching for some hint of accusation, of blame… Finding nothing but compassion, Red Alert dropped his head with a small noise of distress.
Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. “It’s going to be alright, Red. I’ve got you, and I’m not going to let anything hurt you.” The promise, spoken with absolute conviction, broke down the last of Red Alert’s resolve. He collapsed into the safety of Optimus’ arms with a little sob, finally allowing himself to be comforted.
The Master List of Doom
Title: Through Fire and Flame (28 Red Alerts)
Chapter: On His Knees Red Alert
Rating: PG -13
Warning: Slash, strongly implied Starscream/Red Alert with some rather dubious consent
Summary: Red Alert tries to pretend everything is still the same after the events of Auto Berserk, while his friends worry.
x-xxx-x
“Hey Red Alert?” Smokescreen jogged to catch up to the Security Director. “I just wanted to say that I’m here, if you need someone to talk to.”
“Thank you, but no. I’m fine,” came the clipped answer.
“Well, if not me, you could talk to Inferno.” Smokescreen fell into step beside him. “I know he’s worried about you and it really can help to open up to someone-”
Red Alert stopped short. “I’m fine. I don’t want to talk to you, Inferno, or Optimus slagging Prime himself. I don’t need to open up to anyone!” Red Alert snapped with a glare.
If you’re fine, I’m a purple petro-rabbit, Smokescreen thought, watching Red Alert’s retreating back. But I really shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always been the kind that had to be coaxed into even the littlest admissions. But maybe Inferno will have better luck…
x-x-x
Red Alert punched the access code to his quarters. A few seconds and he’d be safe in his own room, away from both the accusing optics and frustrating-but-well-meaning questions that had been following him ever since Ratchet let him out of the repair bay. The Autobots seemed split between waiting for him to betray them all to the Decepticons and waiting for him to have a meltdown in the hallway.
“Red?”
Red Alert groaned.Speaking of well-meaning irritants… He turned to look up at Inferno.
“Are you alright?” Inferno asked worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Red Alert growled, irrationally annoyed by his concern. “Would you people stop asking me that?” Inferno just looked at him, making a twinge of guilt go through Red Alert’s spark.
“Prime wants to see you,” Inferno said quietly after a moment.
Red Alert sighed, slumping against the doorframe. “Fine,” he said tiredly, clearing the keypad. He trailed Inferno down the hallway.
Optimus was waiting for them in his office. He glanced up as they entered, setting aside his work. “Ah, Red. Please, sit.”
Red Alert sat nervously in the indicated chair. Inferno patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. “I’ll be outside,” he murmured, leaving Optimus and Red Alert alone.
Optimus waited for the door to close behind Inferno before coming around the desk to sit opposite Red Alert with a somber look.
“We’ve been worried about you, Red.”
“I gathered that,” Red Alert muttered, fidgeting, his optics focused on the bottom of the desk.
Optimus leaned forward, hands clasped. “I know what happened to you is difficult for you to speak of, but I’m here for you, whenever you need anything. If you can’t talk to me, then Inferno-”
Red Alert stared helplessly at him. How can I even start to- I can’t- What do I tell him about -
Fingertips brushed the edge of Red Alert’s doors. “You trust me, don’t you Red?”
“I… I don’t know…” Red Alert stared at Starscream, trying desperately to focus through the blinding pain in his head. “Inferno…” Where was Inferno? Why wasn’t he there? Inferno always knew what to do…
“Inferno betrayed you, remember? They all lied to you, Red. Everyone but me,” Starscream murmured, lightly tracing the decals on his doors. “It’s just you and I; you remember that, don’t you?”
“Yes…” Inferno had abandoned him, hadn’t he? It was just so hard to think and the way Starscream’s thumb had slipped under his door to rub soothing little circles on the adding beneath felt so nice…
Starscream’s smile was sharp and victorious. Red Alert didn’t protest when the seeker’s other hand slipped around to tease the seam on the back of his leg. He didn’t even protest when Starscream shoved him up against the wall-
“I can’t,” Red Alert whispered brokenly. “I- I can’t tell Inferno what I…” he trailed off, shaking.
Optimus knelt in front of him, resting a comforting hand on his leg. “Red, listen to me. What happened was not your fault.”
Red Alert opened his mouth to protest.
“No, Red,” Optimus stopped him, gently but firmly. “No ‘buts’. None of it was your fault.”
Red Alert stared into his optics, searching for some hint of accusation, of blame… Finding nothing but compassion, Red Alert dropped his head with a small noise of distress.
Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. “It’s going to be alright, Red. I’ve got you, and I’m not going to let anything hurt you.” The promise, spoken with absolute conviction, broke down the last of Red Alert’s resolve. He collapsed into the safety of Optimus’ arms with a little sob, finally allowing himself to be comforted.
The Master List of Doom