Title: The Unselfish Swap
Author: Red Wasabi
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Notes: OK, I have been suffering from the great and terrible scourge called: Writer's Block. I hope that this piece is a symbol of healing...and not further degradation. Sideswipe/Sky Lynx/awkward. Except not really, you'll figure it out.
Rated: PG
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"So, why does it have to be dark again?" a curious voice asked from the darkness of the one of the many unused subspaces beneath the Ark. Sky Lynx felt a tendril of annoyance curl up inside his chassis at the question. Why did Mirage pick now of all times to start being chatty, and nosy?
"Look, Mirage; It has to be dark in order t protect my identity. I've asked you here for help on a 'delicate' matter. If anyone ever found out that I asked someone for help—I'd never hear the end of it!" Sky Lynx huffed out in a rush.
The mech was quiet for a moment; Sky Lynx could feel him shift uncomfortably. "Um, I already know who you are Sky Lynx." Sky Lynx sputtered indignantly in the darkness, who could Mirage had found out his identity? He had even gone so far as to set up vision dampers in the storage room as to assure himself that his identity would remain a secret. Mirage must have been better then he thought!
The mech continued speaking, ignoring Sky Lynx's lapse in attention. "I kind of figured it was you, after all you are the only mech around who could fill up half a storage space…"
All of Sky Lynx's inner protests stopped the moment those words left the mech's vocalizer. One could almost feel the pride glean off of him as he preened in the dark. "Ah, why thank you Mirage. I am rather impressive aren't I?"
The mech's optics flickered, and an awkward silence descended between the two mechs. Finally he replied, "Um, you're welcome—I guess."
The mech tensed as he felt Sky Lynx's great girth shift abruptly in the darkness. "I guess since the element of mystery is gone I should probably turn the lights back on." Sky Lynx said moving towards the lighting panel. "No use for us to be tripping round here in the dark."
"No!" The mech cried out in an unexpectedly nervous voice. Sky Lynx's optics stared curiously out in to the darkness, waiting for the mech to explain himself. "I mean, no. It's kind of fun talking in the dark; and besides someone might get suspicious if they were patrolling down here and saw the light on in one of the vacant storage rooms."
Sky Lynx nodded realizing his almost mistake. "Yes, it wouldn't do for anyone to find us here. You're right, the lights must stay off!" A period of silence passed between the mechs once more.
"So…" the mech in the corner began. "You said in your message that you had a proposition to discuss with me. Three barrels of high grade for the talk, and three more for the solution."
Sky Lynx pedes tapped impatiently, "Deal, but you'll get the payments separately, and depending on how the solution works." Sky Lynx smiled internally as the bright blue optics on the other wall bobbed up and down vigorously in agreement. He loved when his ideas went perfectly.
"I was told," Sky Lynx began. "That you had in you possession a vast knowledge of many of the mechs in this fleet. I was also told that you might be able to help me with the problem I have been facing—"
The mech interrupted Sky Lynx, "Enough with the ceremony. Tell me what's wrong and I'll give you your solution."
Sky Lynx's face plates grimaced, why was Mirage acting so impatient right now? "Very well," Sky Lynx uttered annoyed that his dramatics had been cut short. "I haven't interfaced in sixteen vorns." Sky Lynx paused as the mech across from him began to make a series of strangled noises that sounded disturbingly like choking. "Anyway," Sky Lynx continued determined to ignore the odd noises. "I know that you keep tabs on every mech in this unit and I need specifics on one in particular. I need to know everything about a mech named Sideswipe." Sky Lynx shifted worriedly as a loud clank and even harsher sounded wheeze emitted from the mech across form him. "Are you functioning properly?"
The mech let out a strained hack, "Oh, I'm fine, just a little dust in the ol' compressor; that and I accidentally feel off the shelf I was sitting on." The mech let out one last painful whoop, before finally catching his breath and continuing, "So, why do you want information on Sideswipe?"
Sky Lynx's engine revved uneasily. "He reminds me a mech I know..."
The mech hummed lowly, "So if it's not Sideswipe who you really want, then why go for him?"
Sky Lynx sigh deeply, "The mech I want—He doesn't like me the same way. Sideswipe reminds me of him. I was hoping that I could learn to love another mech; I'm tried of being lonely."
The mech was quiet again, Sky Lynx could see his bright blue optics flickering as he sat deep in thought. Sky Lynx was just starting to get concerned about the mech when he suddenly spoke, "That's quiet a predicament you're in," he began slowly. "I'm willing to help you though, after all I am a compassionate mech. Tonight come to the rec. room at 2100; everything will be set up for you. Now go get cleaned up, you know how picky Sideswipe is about appearance."
Sky Lynx felt his spark soar at the mech's words. "Of course! I'll be there at 2100 sharp, thank you!" He cried gleefully as hurriedly steeped out of the storage compartment and began briskly walking towards the wash racks.
"You know, I normally have a really finicky fuel tank; but this stuff--"Broadside good naturedly slumped sideways to lean heavily on his new 'best friend'. He had no idea why Sideswipe had unexpectedly invited him to drink tonight—or why he had accepted; but slaggit if he didn't care right now either.
"You know," Broadside said with a loud giggle. "You're a good mech Sideswipe—best mech ever. And I mean that."
Sideswipe sly smiled at the large red and white as he handed him another barrel of high grade. "I know you mean that Broadside, here have another barrel—on me."
Sideswipe raised an optics ridge at the rec. room door as a harassed looking Mirage struggled through the doorway totting an extremely loud, and drunken Sky Lynx. Sideswipe smirked as Mirage carelessly directed the stumbling mech towards the high grade dispenser and then promptly left him to his own devices.
"Hey Broadside, I think Sky over there needs a little help." Sideswipe manually turned Broadside's watery optics to face the fumbling partly coherent mech in the conner. Broadside smiled goofily at Sideswipe as he stood up haphazardly knocking his chair over in the process.
"You're right!" He slurred loudly. "I ought go an help him out..." Sideswipe smiled knowingly as Broadside stumbled off towards the other inebriated mech in the room.
Mirage sat down next to Sideswipe and let out an exasperated huff of air."Tell me Sides," He began. "Why was it necessary that I get Lynx drunk and bring him to the rec. room tonight?--And why did he keep thanking me in his even more overly enthusiastic drunken manner, for what was it? Oh yeah, setting him up with a hot interface?" Mirage tapped his digits impatiently on the table top in front of Sideswipe waiting for him to answer.
Sideswipe shook his head a devilish grin growing across his face plates, "Just watch 'Raj." he said quietly nodding at their pair of drunks.
Broadside's optics gazed blearily into Sky Lynx's as the mech stood swaying in front of him. "Would you like some help?" he asked cheerily leaning to far into Sky Lynx's face as he spoke.
Sky Lynx's optics widened confusedly as the babbling white and red mech leaned in to his chassis and began to speak. What was he supposed to say again? Sky Lynx's face plates shifted in to a bemused scowl as he tired to remember his scrambled thoughts.
He pushed Broadside away and held the mech at arms length. Broadside's disoriented optics tried vainly to focus in on the giant mech in front of him. "What's the matter Sky?" He slurred up at the starring mech.
Sky Lynx slowly shook his head, his optics raising upwards as if he were trying very hard to recall something. Broadside had just started to squirm restlessly in Sky Lynx's grip when the mech finally began to speak. "I've noticed you around. I find you very attractive. Would you like to interface with me?"
If Broadside heard the sound of two mechs on the other side of the room choking high grade he showed no sighs of it. His thought processors were all entirely focused on the weaving mech before him. Hesitantly he nodded his head, an excited but dazed smile growing on his face. He'd been waiting for such a long time for Sky Lynx to ask him that!
Sideswipe lifted his barrel in silent congratulations as the two mechs stumbled gracelessly out of the rec. room both leaning heavily on each other, and giggling the entire way. He offered his barrel to Mirage as he explained, "The only two mechs on this ship who didn't know that those two had a thing for each other were those two. I just did the entire base an incredible service. I should get a medal." Sideswipe snickered roguishly.
Mirage hummed noncommittally as he handed Sideswipe his barrel back. "By the way Sides, where is the data pad that Hound said you offered to deliver to me this afternoon?" Mirage asked a mischievous twinkle in his optics.
Sideswipe chuckled lowly as he dropped his barrel from his mouth plates, "Oh that old thing. Well that's a funny story you see, it was addressed to the wrong mech."
"Oh really? I thought you were suspended from receiving mail right now; due to that last fiasco of a prank you pulled." Mirage replied back lightly as he helped himself to a sip of Sideswipe's high grade.
"Yeah about that..." Sideswipe purred, his optics glimmering with humor. "Oh and while we're on the subject of 'misplaced' mail, you're going to be receiving six barrels of old stock high grade. We split it down the middle and neither of us says a word about tonight, deal?"
Mirage took a long gulp from Sideswipe's barrel, before responding. "That, my friend, sounds like a deal."
AN: So didja like it?