TITLE: Time Out
based on events in Broken
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: hard R
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)
Author's Voice of Warning (aka Author's Note):
The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are....
FEEDBACK: Loved

If there was one thing Sam could have done without, it would be the wedding of his cousin Eddie. The guy was a prick, plain and simple, and whoever the poor girl was he had roped into marrying him, Sam had only felt pity. She had looked happy enough, but since Eddie had money, maybe it had been the prospect of becoming Mrs. Well-Off.

His parents had asked him to come along and since most of his time nowadays was spent at work with his friends and his partner, Sam had finally relented – even if he probably wouldn't recognize Eddie at all. The sandbox days were long gone by. Thankyouverymuch.

Bumblebee had opted to come along and so he had driven the five hundred miles instead of taking a plane. Lennox had joked that they could airlift him to the cozy little mountain town, use a Black Hawk, maybe. That would impress people.

Sam had found the idea amusing, then had driven himself. While some family knew that he worked for the military, others couldn't care less about him. Like he couldn't care less about them.

Sitting in a small diner off the highway on his way back now, eating a club sandwich and filling up on caffeine, Sam let his eyes take in the almost serene landscape. Up here there was hardly anything that warranted the name 'city'. All small towns and farmlands. All old cars, people knowing everyone, people caring. The diner was tucked away in a corner of the landscape, small and family style, without the chain restaurant look to it. The waitresses were either high-schoolers trying to earn a buck or two, or older women with a matronly air.

Sam felt like he was stuck in the Sixties, when time didn't really matter all that much, when rush hour meant you needed five minutes longer than usual, instead of two hours. He smiled a little to himself.

It was nice to be out of the hubbub for once and he had really missed taking Bumblebee out for a longer drive lately.

::Told you:: his partner sent.

::Snoop:: he replied fondly.

Not that he had actively blocked him.

And yes, Bumblebee had told him. And yes, Sam should have listened. Work had just been so overwhelming lately and with Trent's accident, Sam's world had cracked a little at the edges. Stress had taken its toll.

::We could detour a little:: Bumblebee offered. ::I noticed some campgrounds and cabins for rent::

And they still had time.

Sam emptied his third cup of coffee and ordered a large chocolate sundae to top off a delicious meal. The waitress gave him a flirtatious smile and he felt a little embarrassed. She was old enough to be his mother.

His parents had been rather understanding of his early departure from Eddie's wedding. His mother had been mortified by her nephew's behavior and had tried to smooth things over; his father had simply stated that they would leave if this didn't stop.

'This' had been the relatives being intolerable. Especially Aunt Helen. She had given him that look, the one that told Sam that not being married was a stigma. But he had a relationship, a partnership, and it was more and better than anything else. Eddie had flaunted his beautiful bride in Sam's face and finally proclaimed he was probably gay.

Yeah, family get-togethers were fun.

::We could:: he finally said. ::It would be nice::

Bumblebee gave a pleased little hum.

After paying, with a generous tip and taking a large cup of coffee to go, Sam let Bumblebee take over driving to head for the first possible cabin. It was also the only one they actually drove to because it was beautiful. Remote, in the middle of the mountain forest, near a lake, and still open for renting it as long as he pleased. There was still a little snow left in the forest and people had yet to actually swarm all over the vacation homes, the landlady told him. Perfect for unwinding.

Bumblebee had informed Prime of their one-week detour. It was no problem at all. Optimus was actually glad that their resident technopath was taking time off. Sam had briefly called his parents, told them where he was and that he would drop by at their place in Tranquility on his way back to the base in a week. His mother had told him to relax, unwind, and have fun. His father had asked about good fishing spots.

Sam removed his bags from Bumblebee's trunk, as well as the groceries they had shopped for in the mountain town ten miles down the forest road, then walked out toward the lake. The ground was still stiff with the cold, actually crunching a little under his feet, and his breath fogged.

"Beautiful," he only said.

The familiar sound of a transformation could be heard, then Bumblebee stood next to him. "Your planet has very beautiful spots."

"And you haven't even seen the spectacular ones."

Blue optics glowed softly. "There's no rush."

Sam leaned against one leg, the cool metal smooth under his hand. They had a week here. Alone.

He felt a small grin blossom.

Bumblebee's hum told him that his partner had picked up on a tiny little, very naughty thought.

Sam had been a bit surprised by how quickly and wholly Bumblebee had embraced the idea of Sharing with a human. Their connection was so different from what the mech had to be used to, and Sam wasn't a mech at all, and still Bumblebee had never shied away. Actually, he was rather open to experimentation.

Running a hand over the yellow metal, Sam watched the waves of the lake lap against the shore. Anyone who hadn't felt what he did throughout their Sharing would call him a freak. Then again, there were totally normal people out there in the world who did really freakish things in bed, or wherever they had sex, and some even slept with their cars. Bumblebee wasn't a car, he was an alien life form, and technically they weren't sleeping together. Technically, Bumblebee had never touched him much physically.

All in my head, Sam thought with a grin.

That his physical reaction was the same and just as messy just spoke of his difference to a mechanoid.

"Want to explore?" he finally asked.

Bumblebee tilted his head and Sam felt a little rush, almost embarrassment.

::Always:: was the pointed answer and the rush became warm and teasing.

::Bee!::

While Bumblebee had no human mouth, he could grin and Sam knew that he was grinning right now. Devilishly.

Thoughts of using this moment, working off some energy, permeated his mind, and he shivered; it had nothing to do with the cold.

Speaking of which.

"Cabin," he managed.

He almost ran back, cursing hormones and super-charged mechanoids.

The touch was almost physical. Sam groaned and shot his partner a dirty look. Blue optics flared with what Sam had dubbed arousal in mechanical life forms. Still holding on to the last of his shields, he entered the cabin, quite aware of all of Bumblebee's scanners on him, of the bright optics watching him through the windows, and he leaned against the wall, stripping off his winter jacket and shoes.

Then he dropped his shields.

The effect was instantaneous and Sam almost arched off the wall against his back.

::Bed:: Bumblebee guided him.

The cabin was small, the bedroom just off the living room/kitchen area, and he got his pants open and off together with his t-shirt, then he was completely gone. Sam didn't even try to control the encounter, just let Bumblebee free reign.

His partner used it.

Familiar with his human's trigger spots and very well versed in technopathic sharing, Bumblebee let this familiarity couple with curiosity and the result had Sam squirm and moan and plead.

Better than sex, he thought.

Better than anything he had ever experienced as a human being with another human being.

Bumblebee's touch felt almost real. There were hands on his skin and he knew his partner felt the same, their minds translating each signal into a sensation that wasn't just a thought any more.

When the signals spiked, Sam came with a hoarse cry, and he felt Bumblebee's mind overload for a nanosecond, the rush rebounding off his cranium walls like a rubber ball. It was incredible and an indescribable, a total high that went beyond anything humans could experience among their own kind.

Sam still felt Bumblebee's touch, still felt his presence, and his mind curled into the connection, seeking warmth and an anchor to come down again, to even out the spikes.

He would never get enough of this. It was impossible. He didn't care that there was no real contact outside the technopathic connection; that alone manipulated his body into feeling touch. Sam smiled sleepily.

His cousin could go to hell with his remarks about not being married. His aunt, too.

::If you want a ring…:: Bumblebee teased.

He breathed a little laugh, still feeling high on the little trickles of energy coursing through him.

::Don't you dare::

::It is a sign on your planet that you belong to someone, that someone belongs to you::

::Don't need it. I know. You know. It's enough::

His parents knew. His best and most important friends knew. He didn't need an outward sign.

It was almost as if Bumblebee was hugging him close, that they were spooned together, and Sam relaxed into the invisible hold, enjoyed the sensation of caresses over his heated skin.

::It's enough:: Bumblebee echoed.

And it was.