MY FIRST FANFIC! SO EXCITING! I'm still a little nervous, though... Disclaimer- I don't own Transformers...duh... Set just after Revenge of the Fallen.
SUMMARY- Skids has a job; to protect Mudflap. His biggest fear: What if he failed?
"Skids!" called a weak voice. Mudflap was limping towards his twin. Mudflap stumbled and almost fell, but Skids caught his brother and held him up. "East bro, i gotcha." Mudflap accepted the reassurance without question as his older brother started to help him limp along. Inside, Skids was feeling guilty and distraught.
When Devastator had started vacuuming everything up, Skids had managed to grapb something to keep safe, but poor Mudflap didn't have the best hand eye coordination and was unable to grab onto something. His desperate cries for Skids to help him rang in the green Autobot's audios still, and even as Skids's assurances had left his volcalizer, Mudflap lost his grip and was pulled toward Devastator. Skids had felt terror from Mudflap through the twin-bond, and it had nearly made him lose his grip as well, and Mudflap's screams, wailing in protest against his seemingly certain death hadn't helped Skids. Skids had been tempted to just let go and join his younger brother because he felt so much guilt and misery. After all, he was the older twin and Mudflap's safety was his top priority, adn he'd never failed his job; until today. Now he was doubting himself.
What would have happened if Mudflap hadn't busted out of Devastator's face with a battle cry? Skids felt anguish and guilt as he imagined life without his younger brother. Mudflap had nearly died today! Skids saw that as his fault for failing to protect his brother. He'd come so, so very close to losing Mudflap today, and that terrified him. Without realizing it, Skids was letting these emotions flow into Mudflap through the twin-bond, and when Mudflap felt waves of guilt, terror, sorrow, anguish, doubt, and even more terror and guilt from Skids, he did the only thing he could think of; he smacked Skids.
"Quit that. it ain't your fault." Skids looked at his brother in shock, but before he could say anything, Mudflap continued to talk. "I lost my grip. You didn't fail at protecting me, and it ain't your fault I almost died. You're a great older brother and protector, so stop with the guilt! I wouldn't change you for the world, so keep doing what you're doing, because I haven't died yet, now have I?" Skids was shocked into silence at Mudflap's speech, but he slowly nodded as the shock wore off. The red Autobot nodded back and together, the two brothers limped after Leo and Simmons. Skids had his confidence back, and was determined to continue protecting his twin. Mudflap was just happy to be alive and he felt safe and content right at that moment. His brother would always be there for him; Skids would always be Mudflap's protector.