Part 1: Planning

"This is the very ecstasy of love
Whose violent property foredoes itself,
And leads the will to desperate undertakings."
-Polonius - Hamlet (Act II, scene 1, line 102)by William Shakespeare

"See you later, Knock Out."

The Medic smiled. "Yeah, see you, Breakdown."

The two Decepticons go their separate ways, one heading towards the rec room and the other heading towards the Medbay. Knock Out hummed to himself as he went on his way. The day had gone very well considering; the scouting mission that he and Breakdown went on was a full success and a new Energon vein had been discovered.

But that wasn't what the medic was interested in.

No, it was his partner Breakdown.

Dear, beautiful, perfect Breakdown…

The Aston Martin couldn't help but let a chuckle escape his lips as he recalled the larger mech having to move some large boulders as they explored the abandoned mine they had been sent to, the way his body moved and the grunts that left him…

Oh, it was so…

So…

…Alluring.

Just every little thing about the ex-Stunticon was just so attractive. How could anyone not love him? But that's for the better, Knock Out supposed; that meant he could have the blue van all to himself and no one else had a chance of interrupting… Most would say it was an unhealthy fixation and there must have been some problem that makes him think that…

Huh. That sounded like something Rung would say.

The Decepticon scowled as he thought of his former psychiatrist. The scrawny orange and white mech was virtually invisible to everyone else and yet could somehow tolerate talking to psychopaths, amnesiacs and anything in-between. The red mech could remember being forced to undergo sessions with him after the death of his 'lover' and another mech.

Well, if he hadn't been with another mech in berth, then they wouldn't have been killed, now would they?

Knock Out finally reached the Medbay and walked in, passing by the medical berths and all of his tools. He was heading towards the back, towards another door. He quickly keyed in the passcode and entered.

His room was mostly inconspicuous, the walls had pictures of various automobiles (He was an enthusiast, after all) and a few medical diagrams on anatomy and spotting the symptoms for deadly illnesses. The desk was mostly clean, with a few datapads and old articles scattered here and there, along with an empty cube of Energon and a few hunks of crystals he'd gathered on this planet. The Medic walked to his berth and settled himself down, chuckling to himself. He turned on his side and picked up the handmade doll he'd left there.

It was something he'd made himself and painstakingly rearranged and perfected, until it resembled its image exactly.

Breakdown.

Knock Out smiled and clutched the doll tightly to his chest, smiling widely. It was one of his prized possessions and he would protect it… although it wasn't quite the same as having the real Breakdown.

Oh well.

He'd have the real thing soon enough.

The medic held the doll up to his face and gave it a very quick kiss. "It won't be long."

***

Knock Out hummed as he sashayed over to Breakdown, preparing himself to finally ask the larger Mech on a date. He had the whole the thing planned out in his head already; there was no way Breakdown would refuse!

"Breakdown!"

The blue van turned around, smiling as he spotted the medic. "Hey Knock Out. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. So…" the Aston Martin could barely hold back the urge to rock back and forth on his heels. "I was thinking… maybe we could have some energon together sometime?"

The ex-Stunticon raised an optic ridge and cracked a smirk. "Why? You asking me out on a date?"

Knock Out laughed. "Maybe…" he answered. "So how about it?"

"Sounds good to me."

The medic's spark soared at those words. Finally! Maybe then, he'll be able to tell Breakdown how he feels and then they can become a couple and everything will turn out just perfectly…

"Breakdown!"

Knock Out scowled.

Airachnid sauntered over, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Breakdown. Lord Megatron has set you a mission. Hurry now; he doesn't like to be kept waiting and it is quite urgent."

The van bristled a little. "R-Right! Sorry, Knock Out. I'll see you later!" With that, he darted off to see their Lord and Master.

The Aston Martin tried to keep in his anger, watching as his love had run off.

How dare the spider interrupt!

Airachnid only smirked. "What's the matter Knock Out?" she cooed, her tone all too smug. "You look like I just boiled your pet Petro-rabbit alive."

"…Just don't go anywhere near him." The medic simply ground out, his voice low and dangerous.

The spidery femme laughed, turning away and strutting away. "Don't get your hopes up. Breakdown may be your partner, but that doesn't guarantee that he'll want to go further!" She called back, not noticing Knock Out stiffening. "Quit while you're ahead. He deserves better than a vain freak like you."

Her chuckles faded away, leaving the mech behind, grinding his denta in frustration.

"You don't know anything, you glitch… Breakdown will be mine and you won't get in the way… just you wait!"

***

Knock Out tapped his fingers against his desk, a deep scowl etched onto his features. He was still peeved from the earlier confrontation with Airachnid and now he was thinking.

Just how could he win Breakdown over?

And how could he stop anyone else getting to him first?

The van belonged to HIM and HIM ALONE.

He had looked over some articles he'd collected over the years, all of them related to how to woo someone you liked. All of them had titles like 'Bedroom Eyes: How to read the body and the meaning' or 'Dating for Dummies', but most of them were virtually worthless.

Until one caught the medic's optic.

'The Way to a Man's Heart is Through His Stomach!'

Knock Out picked up the article, reading through it quickly, a smile slowly growing as he got more and more ideas. He looked over his shoulder, smiling at his most as he spotted the Breakdown doll propped up on his berth.

"This is perfect… you'll finally see how much I love you…"

TBC