Hero's Reward
By Snare-chan
Pairings: Grimlock/Blackarachnia
Ratings: K+
Category(ies): Romance
Warning(s): Spoilers for Season 2, Episode 26: Black Friday.
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Blackarachnia and Grimlock share their first kiss.
Notes: For ouronlyhunter's birthday! A surprise Grimlock pining over Blackarachnia story, because we both dig it and think there needs to be more fanfic of it out there. Then again, maybe for his health, it's best that there isn't? This takes place prior to Black Friday, real early on in the Dinobots and Blackarachnia getting to know one another.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers Animated; wish I did like everybody else. They should put TFA in stock, then I'd buy it all!
Blackarachnia was sick and tired of trees, sick and tired of fresh air, sick and tired of nature. She'd been tromping around in mud, dead leaves, and wet muck for the past week, and it was starting to coat her frame in a layer of grime and a smell that was beyond offensive. Taking a bath did little good, as it washed away the land mess only to replace it with algae and other organic material she didn't want to dwell too long on.
She would kill someone for a wash rack and disinfectant right about now.
Continuing with her exploration, she tried to get past a tree, shoving a branch aside that came hurtling back to smack her in the face. Agitated, she grabbed it and ripped it clean off the plant, throwing it to the ground.
"Piece of worthless slag," she hissed. Not a single bush shivered in fear at her tone, but she felt a little less frustrated with the threat. Until she realized that she was talking to the inanimate foliage, in which case her anger bubbled up anew.
Shooting up a string of webbing, she pulled herself up to the treetops. The view was much better from that vantage point, and the trees were notably less difficult to traverse. The lack of dirt was a bonus, too. However, she didn't get a chance to move along, as the ground below started shaking and caused her to dig her claws into the tree bark. This went on for about five minutes, Blackarachnia wobbling a bit afterwards and needing about a moment more to regain her bearings.
"What was-"
"Spider-lady? You here?"
"Erk! Not him…" she muttered darkly in disbelief, flattening herself against the tree trunk and trying to make herself as tiny as possible. Being part insect made it easy for her to blend in with the darkness, or so she desperately hoped as she kept to the shadows and trusted that the big lummox would continue his search elsewhere after growing bored here.
"Me Grimlock smell Spider-lady, but me Grimlock no see Spider-lady."
Frowning, she gave herself a tentative sniff. Yeah, definitely beyond offensive at this point.
The shaking resumed in earnest, this time the tree beneath her feet being purposely rocked. She forwent her claws and wrapped her arms completely around it for support, digging her heels into the branches.
Her hiding spot discovered, Blackarachnia forgot all about being silent and screeched, "What-are-you-do-ing?!"
She didn't let up on her hold, but in retrospect, putting so much pressure on the tree wasn't one of her brighter ideas, either. It splintered with a crack, making her lose her grip and causing her to tumble below. Grimlock caught her in his open arms, Blackarachnia letting out a loud "whoomph" as she landed. She screeched a little in indignation, all her intimidating tactics going ignored as he became too enveloped in his excitement to see her. Happily, he gave her helmet a nuzzle.
It made her gag. A little bit.
"Stop that!" she snapped, embarrassed, and tried to shove his face away.
"Me Grimlock save Spider-lady from fall!"
"You were what made me fall in the first place."
Ignoring her logic, he continued, "Me Grimlock deserve kiss."
Narrowing all four of her eyes at the mere suggestion of such an offering, she tensed in his grip and lowered her voice, saying, "A kiss, huh? I'll give you a kiss alright."
Both golden stingers shot forward, striking the Dinobot in the neck. His entire frame reacted to the painful process of her ability-absorbing technique, back going rigid and all of him vibrating with the electric pulses. Then he abruptly went lax, allowing her to slip free. Once she was out of his reach, he collapsed straight onto his back, a small earthquake accompanying the action.
Snorting at the pathetic sight, she brushed herself off, a couple clouds of dust fluttering into the air.
"Serves you right. How's that for a kiss?"
The smugness she felt didn't last long. It never seemed able to, at least not anymore.
Grimlock, despite the odds, was actually still conscious. At the sound of her voice, he gave a small twitch and a cough that turned into a grunt. She was baffled, and deep down, something akin to impressed. Blackarachnia had used that trick on a lot of enemies and allies alike, and never had they been capable of withstanding it. They passed out, or got nauseous and then passed out. Whatever this guy was made out of, it was tougher than the norm.
"That kiss good. Do again?" Grimlock asked, jerkily tapping a cheek, as if indicating "booboo there, kiss here to make better."
Scowling at his one-track mind, she allowed all the rage she'd been feeling up until that point to well up inside of her and come out in the form of a pillar of fire. A couple of leaves got scorched in the process, along with the other's upper torso. When she was finished letting off steam, all that was left was a black line in the ground and a seared Grimlock, whose jaw was jutting out in obvious disappointment.
"Me Grimlock take that as no."
-Fin-