"Here you are…" she said, finally reaching the crest of the hill.

Her gaze fell upon the prone figure, as she doubled over, her hands resting on her thighs, and tried to catch her breath. She had trudged up the slippery hillside to reach its apex. Her feet had slid on the dew-moistened grass. More than once, she'd fallen to her knees. Undaunted, she'd picked herself back up and carried on.

"Looks like you caught me. Do I say, "Tag! You're it!" or do I close my optics and start counting?" he said with a slight chuckle. The edge of his lips curled into the faintest smile.

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. Her right foot tapped the soft earth beneath her.

"Oh. Ha. Ha." she quipped, before plopping herself down on the long grass. "I didn't realize I was on the list of people you were trying to avoid today." Her words emphasized with a quick roll of her eyes, as her arms folded over her chest.

She stretched her legs out before her, and felt the last of the day's warmth radiated against her bare legs from the earth below. She wiggled slightly, adjusting her position, and leaned back against the smooth black plating. Her head rested against the warm metal, as she forced an overly dramatic sigh from her lips.

Around them, twilight slowly faded into night. The crickets and tree frogs began to serenade to the duo. They laid there together; quiet and unmoving, the night's symphony unfolding around them. Her eyes gazed lazily up at the twinkling stars just beginning to wake in the indigo sky above. His optics dimmed and unfocused.

"I wasn't you know."

"Hmmmm…?"

"I wasn't avoiding you."

"Oh? And I spose you're gonna tell me you're hiding here just so you can be alone with me?"

"Actually…"

His words were cut short when she sat up and looked him dead in the optic, disbelief written all over her face. He offered her a gentle smile in return.

"I knew you'd find me," he continued.

"Yeaaaahhhhh…" she said, re-crossing her arms over her chest for effect.

"I did."

"I ever tell you you're full of it?"

He chuckled again, as he wrapped a large white hand around her.

"All the time," he snickered and lifted her off the ground. "C'mere."

He set her down on his belly, just above his midpoint. She sat there a moment and watched him. He had his arm tucked up under his helm, watching her in return. The ends of his lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Sooo…"

"So."

"If you wanted me to find you, why not just stay in your office? Why come out here?"

"Because I wanted YOU to find me – not everyone else. And since this is YOUR favorite hiding spot…"

"…you figured sooner or later I'd show up out here," she finished for him.

He winked at her and pressed a finger tip to her nose. She smiled, rolled her eyes, shook her head and sighed again.

"And I spose just leaving a note that said, "Meet me in the backyard," would have been too much to ask?"

He grinned back at her, "Now where's the fun in that?"

"You know, sometimes I just…"

"Just what?"

"Nevermind," she grumbled, flustered at him.

He ran a finger down her back, delighting in the way she melted into his touch while her features retained their staunch disapproval. He repeated the gesture and watched, with amusement, as her pose softened and her eyes fluttered. He cupped her shoulders and gently eased her back to lie against his chest. He continued to caress her back and delighted in the soft purr she gave in response.

Together lay lay peacefully under the burgeoning night sky. Her check pressed against his chest armor. His hand massaged her head and stroked her back. The nighttime chorus of frogs, crickets, and the occasional owl played all around them.

"Listen."

"I hear them. It's very soothing - especially the frogs."

"That's not what I was referring to."

He pressed the palm of his hand to her head and remained still.

"Listen."

She buried her head against his chest and listened to the familiar sounds. The low purr of his main engine, the soft hum of his electrical systems, the quiet whoosh of air through his vents, and once lulled into further into tranquility – she heard it - the rapidly cyclic thrum; almost hidden behind the purr of his engine. As she listened, the sweetest smile spread across her face, and the sparkle in her eyes rivaled that of the stars above.

"I hear it," she murmured against his chest. "It's wonderful!"

She was startled, when a series of small pings and shudders vibrated through the plating beneath her cheek. Her eyes were met by amused optics, and the tiny vibration replaced with the rolling rumble of hearty laughter.

"Looks like someone forgot sound travels both ways."

A rosy glow flashed across her features before being replaced with a generous smile. She lay back down, once again with her cheek against the sleek metal. Her hand moved in tiny circles upon it.

"How soon?"

He moved his hand to stroke her head, while she listened again intently for the tiny thrumming. When she sighed in contentment, he wrapped his hand around her and held her to him in an intimate embrace.

"Soon enough," he whispered.

She wound her hand around one of his fingers and gave a gentle squeeze; his engine replied with a light rev.

"Shhhhhh…. I can't hear."

He gave a small chuckle, and rubbed his thumb along her back, feeling her melt further into him.

"I love you."

"I know."

The smile spread further across his faceplates, as she pressed closer to him. Snuggled against one another, they drifted into a heavenly bliss, borne on the wings of a bio-mechanical lullaby. All around them, fireflies took wing to dance among the stars.

A/N - this is my own personal universe. I only own the OC, and I don't make any money off this. The non-OC characters belong to whoever owns them. Thank you and good night!