Title: Tap Dancing on a Land Mine
Fandom: Transformers G1
Pairing: Smokescreen/Wheeljack
Theme Set: Beta
Rating: PG 13
Warning(s): Slash, severe abuse of punctuation.
Author's Notes: I'm trying to kick this pairing out of the shadows so that I can write a proper fic for them. I figured that since the 1sentence challenge worked so well for Prowl/Ratchet, maybe the same would work for Smokescreen/Wheeljack. However, Theme Set Beta proved a bit more difficult than Theme Set Alpha. I'm not entirely sure that I've gotten this relationship across in these fifty sentences, so any thoughts, critique, or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Disclaimer: This is a work of Fanfiction. Transformers belong to Hasbro and Takara and are licensed to Dreamworks and IDW. Only my original characters are my own and any similarity between them and any existing characters form Canon or Fanon is purely coincidental.
Walking
Walking into his office Smokescreen was amazed to see Wheeljack sitting on his couch waiting for him with a nervous look in his optics – he had obviously come to a decision.
Waltz
For vorns they had moved together in an intricate psychological waltz; Smokescreen testing the waters of the future, Wheeljack pulling away and looking to the past.
Wishes
Wishes never accomplished anything except wasting time – if anything was going to come of this potential Smokescreen would have to take matters into his own hands and open Wheeljack's optics once and for all
Wonder
It had been so long since that time as Argent's prisoner Wheeljack had to wonder if his processor wasn't playing tricks on him – the Smokescreen of today couldn't possibly be the Blue of yesterday.
Worry
Smokescreen couldn't help but worry about Wheeljack's reaction; after all, people hated being manipulated even if it was for as good reason as love.
Whimsy
There was something whimsical about Wheeljack's mind; it didn't matter how many inventions blew open his face he always had a new strange creation in the wings – Smokescreen couldn't help but admire that kind of spirit.
Waste/Wasteland
The Theatre District had been a wasteland ever since the Decepticons had felled the Crystal Towers – a land of desolation and despair – but when Wheeljack arrived in his search for Ratchet it was like he had brought a light with him; at least that was how it seemed to Smokescreen.
Whiskey and Rum
Being with Smokescreen was intoxicating; like drinking the finest high grade – sure it was a gamble but everything was with the Datsun, and Wheeljack was willing to place the wager if it meant he could stay drunk a little longer.
War
They both hated the war – it destroyed everything they had ever known; and yet if it hadn't been for the war they would never have met – maybe the sacrifice was worth it?
Weddings
Cybertronians didn't have weddings (the closest ceremony was Spark bonding, and that was nothing like a wedding); still there was something appealing about the concept – especially to Wheeljack, who finally admitted his feelings on the night Spike and Carly were married.
Birthday
Wheeljack had no idea how Smokescreen had learned when his Sparking Day was, but he wasn't about to question it when he got home and found the Datsun lying provocatively on his berth.
Blessing
The humans said that blessings often came in many forms and often when we least expected them to – that certainly was the case when Wheeljack finally realized just who Smokescreen really was.
Bias
Smokescreen had to admit that Wheeljack was perhaps one of the smartest mech he'd ever met, but he also had to admit he was, perhaps, just a little bit biased.
Burning
Smokescreen's spark clenched and his fuel froze in his pumps as he realized the lab was burning and Wheeljack was still inside.
Breathing
For some it seemed strange, but for Smokescreen, loving an addled inventor like Wheeljack was as easy for him as breathing – never mind the fact that Cybertronians didn't actually breathe.
Breaking
Smokescreen was never one to give himself over to anyone completely; really, it was the best way to avoid breaking someone's spark … but something about Wheeljack made him want to make an exception in this case.
Belief
When it came down to it belief was all they had, and Smokescreen had to believe that Wheeljack would forgive him, otherwise nothing he had done would really matter – even if he had done it on Prime's orders
Balloon
Smokescreen leaned back propping himself up with his hands as Wheeljack lay in the grass beside him, the two of them watching the large colourful balloons soar through the sky carrying their human passengers to parts unknown – it was a serene and almost magical sight.
Balcony
Smokescreen stood in the shadows under the Autobot base staring up at a balcony far up the side of the building; he could just make out the white and green form of Wheeljack, and once again he found himself questioning his decision not to join the organization.
Bane
The fact that he was known to be a con artist gambler was the bane of his existence sometimes, but Wheeljack looked past all of that, looked past his history, looked past the lies he spun so easily, and saw the mech underneath and accepted him for what and who he was.
Quiet
Neither Smokescreen nor Wheeljack liked silence – there was just too much hidden there – thankfully neither had a problem with the noise the other made; Wheeljack's tinkering and Smokescreen's music made things comfortable for them both.
Quirks
They each had their quirks, each had habits that would drive any other mech to distraction, but somehow neither really noticed the other's foibles.
Question
There was never any question – when Smokescreen set his mind to something he always got what he wanted; and even if it meant moving the heavens in the Earth, he would get Wheeljack.
Quarrel
Amazingly, they never quarrelled; both were laid back enough to concede any point to the other – mind you, that didn't stop them from going ahead and doing their own thing anyway.
Quitting
There was no question about it; Wheeljack would never ask Smokescreen to stop gambling – after all he never asked Wheeljack to stop inventing things that he knew were dangerous.
Jump
It felt as if his spark jumped in his chest as he heard Smokescreen whisper Blue's words to him in the crowded commissary; but when Wheeljack turned around Smokescreen was nowhere to be seen.
Jester
Wheeljack knew that Smokescreen was not one for jokes and pranks, but still he couldn't help but wonder if this whole thing wasn't some elaborate bet – after all, what would a mech like Smokescreen see in someone like Wheeljack?
Jousting
On the rare occasion when Smokey and Jack argued it was more like verbal jousting than a fight – Smokescreen knew all the psychological manipulations and Wheeljack's mind was just far too advanced to be pinned down to one logical argument.
Jewel
Smokescreen could watch Jack talk for hours – the way his headlights flashed and lit like jewels was mesmerizing.
Just
"Look, it's not as hard as all that; just let go of the past and let me take you forward," Smokescreen said softly as he took Wheeljack's hands in his.
Smirk
It was hard for Smokescreen to hide his smirk as Ratchet verbally tore into Wheeljack after his latest invention had exploded – you'd think that after all these vorns Ratchet would know better than to expect care and precision from the inventor.
Sorrow
Hi feelings for Wheeljack were like a bittersweet sorrow – on one hand, the inventor made him incredibly happy; but on the other hand, life had taught Smokescreen that such things were fleeting, and it was only a matter of time before Wheeljack was taken from him.
Stupidity
Some people believed that it was sheer stupidity that kept Wheeljack inventing things that he knew would blow up in his face, but Smokescreen saw it for the genius it was – either that or he was just as mad as the inventor.
Serenade
Smokescreen pulled Wheeljack into the shadows of the huge sequoia, allowing the deep fog to mask his actions as his hands moved gently across the inventor's chassis – the call of the loons an eerie serenade in the background.
Sarcasm
Normally, Wheeljack was about as laidback as Beachcomber – every insult, every sarcastic remark just rolled off his back … unless the remark was made about Smokescreen – any mech who made that comment learned very quickly that Wheeljack could be just as dangerous as Sunstreaker, when he wanted to be.
Sordid
This was no sordid affair between two sparklings; this was an infatuation that had survived countless vorns and the untold reaches of space – as far as Smokescreen was concerned, this was something that was meant to be.
Soliloquy
Wheeljack had the strangest habit of talking to himself as he worked, a soft, almost sub-audible soliloquy – to Smokescreen there was something so very endearing about that little habit.
Sojourn
It was a brief vacation, a short stop on Monacus; at least that was what Wheeljack had though … right until Smokescreen got them both thrown into the brig.
Share
Wheeljack was by nature a very giving mech, and he had no problem sharing everything he had with Smokescreen.
Solitary
Smokescreen was by nature a very solitary mech, and yet, somehow, he didn't mind that the longer he spent with Wheeljack, the more he needed his company.
Nowhere
It was surprising, but really, there was nowhere else that Smokescreen would rather be than right here with Wheeljack … mind you, it would have been a bit nicer if they weren't also stranded in the middle of the desert.
Neutral
Wheeljack was very glad for the mask covering half his face, because he was having a great deal of trouble keeping up a neutral expression as Smokescreen entered the medbay – dripping in orange paint and covered in yellow dents and scratches.
Nuance
Smokescreen was nothing if not observant, and it didn't take him long to pick up on every subtle nuance of Wheeljack's body language.
Near
Smokescreen stepped up close to Wheeljack, pinning him in place with his proximity alone and Wheeljack couldn't help but shiver slightly as he felt Smokescreen's field brush seductively against his own.
Natural
Ratchet was rather surprised when he first learned of Wheeljack and Smokescreen's budding relationship – but soon, he and the other Autobots, realized that there was something very natural about the two of them when they were together.
Horizon
Wheeljack sat on a cliff halfway up the side of Mount St-Hillary staring at the far away horizon, just waiting anxiously for Jazz's team to return – this was the first time that Smokescreen had joined the Special Ops team in the field, and Wheeljack couldn't help but feel nervous.
Valiant
Autobots were supposed to be valiant, and certainly, Wheeljack was – Smokescreen on the other hand, was anything but … and yet, when push came to shove, the Datsun would do anything in his power to protect the Lancia even if it meant making a sacrifice.
Virtuous
Smokescreen was not virtuous by any stretch of the imagination; he was a thief and a liar and a gambler – of course, when it came down to it, Wheeljack wasn't exactly pure either, so neither was about to comment on the other's actions.
Victory
It was a small victory to be sure, but a victory nonetheless – talking Prime into letting them stay together on Earth rather than one head off to the Moon Bases was a definite coup.
Defeat
Wheeljack felt Smokescreen wrenched from him the moment the Datsun's spark fell offline – that was probably why he wasn't paying attention as the Decepticons forced their way into the base and why he never saw that final shot coming.