A/N: This was written for eerian_sadow, who wished for more of this pairing. Will update on Wednesdays as often as I can manage.

At the final push of a button, the holographic model erupted in fairly lifelike flames. A tinny voice accompanied the explosion, and the 'Bam! Boom! Ka-pow!' almost drowned out the dull thunk of Wheeljack's head hitting the tabletop.

The holographic model generator was a good idea. It really was. And the fake explosions were more interesting than the previous fail message had been.

He could have done without the recorded Warpath-style sound effects, though.

"So what happened this time?"

He didn't lift his head from the table top. Ratchet had seen him in worse situations.

"It functions perfectly until I change the specs to imitate the actual energy output that the shield can draw from," he muttered. "Then it triggers a catastrophic malfunction and – well."

He could hear Ratchet stepping closer. "Well, at least it's just a holographic boom."

He sat back up, shook off the disappointment. He could try again later. "Yeah. So what brings you here, Ratch?"

In response, the medic plonked a sealed energon cube down on the table in front of him. "You haven't fueled since yesterday."

Wheeljack smirked, though the mask concealed most of his expression. He knew his friend could see it, though. "Hey pot, I'm kettle. Fancy seeing you here."

"I have someone who makes sure I fuel appropriately," Ratchet said, shooting him a pointed glare. "You are far more likely to run yourself into stasis from lack of a basic fueling regime than I am."

…well, he had a point. "Thanks, Ratch."

"Sure. So do you know where the problem is?"

Wheeljack deactivated the flames, bringing the simulation back to base specs. At least cleanup was much simpler now. And he didn't find himself blasted to pieces nearly as often. "No, and it's annoying. When I don't have limitations on the energy input, it works just as it should. And then, when I connect it to the base energy grid with all its limitations and specifications…. Boom."

"Huh. So the energy consumption rate is too high, maybe."

Wheeljack nodded slowly, then glanced at Ratchet. "Becoming an engineer in your spare time, Ratchet?"

The medic smirked. "I've listened to your post-explosion complaints for vorn, 'Jack. I was bound to learn something at some point. Besides, this is based on Trailbreaker's force field, isn't it?"

"Yeah, with a bit of input from Hound's holomatter generator," Wheeljack replied. "Mainly as a model to enlarge the sheer scope of the shield."

"So you probably inherited 'Breaker's fuel consumption requirements," Ratchet mused, prodding at the model and seemingly unbothered by the way his finger went straight through it. "He's got one of the highest on base."

"Damn," Wheeljack sighed. "When you say it, I do remember that. I tried to alleviate it using Hound's specs, but it doesn't seem to have been enough." He should have put more thought into that earlier, though. Maybe his mind was actually slowing due to lack of fuel.

"Want my advice? Talk to Mirage," Ratchet said, his fingers messing with the holomodel again.

Wheeljack's optic ridges lifted. "Mirage? Why?"

"Because he's using his electro-disruptor without it changing his fuel intake," Ratchet replied. "You want fuel efficiency, you need look no further than to Mirage."

"Huh." Wheeljack looked as Ratchet somehow triggered the meltdown again, along with the annoying tinny narrator. "Maybe I'll have to talk to him, then."

It took a few days before Wheeljack was able to talk to Mirage. He'd practiced what he was going to say – not that he was nervous, but he had never really talked to the noblemech before and Mirage was reportedly prickly. Wheeljack didn't want to start it all off by offending him.

Thankfully, when he finally tracked the spy down, he was in the rec room with Hound and Trailbreaker. So Wheeljack drew a cube from the dispenser and walked towards their table, still going over his words in his head.

"Hey mechs, mind if I join you?"

"Hey Wheeljack!" Hound smiled and nodded towards the free chair. "Sure, go ahead. So how's that project of yours going?"

He seized the opening gratefully. "It goes good, and then it goes up in flames. Repeatedly."

"That must be frustrating," the green mech replied. "Do you know why?"

Wheeljack glanced at Trailbreaker. "I have problems managing the energy input required."

The black mech snorted. It was a curiously human sound, but Wheeljack felt it was very appropriate. "Now that sounds familiar. It's the main reason I only use my field when I have to."

"Pardon me, but what project is this?" Mirage asked politely.

It was a better start than he would have hoped for. Although he felt a bit bad that he'd let the conversation go over Mirage's helm already. "I'm trying to generate a stronger defensive base shield," Wheeljack explained, turning towards the noble. "The one we have now is based on the Ark's preexisting space shielding, and it's not functioning optimally in atmospheric conditions. The charged electrons in Earth's weather are wreaking havoc on the shield generator."

"I see," Mirage replied distantly, sipping at his cube. Wheeljack strangled the impulse to frown at the other mech – he needed his help, so making him angry would be counterproductive, but the slightly dismissive tone was too arrogant for his liking.

"Wheeljack has been working with both of us," Trailbreaker put in. "Mainly me, to find out what makes my shielding work. But since I can't keep my shielding up without twice the energon consumption of everyone else…" The black mech shrugged. "Maybe I wasn't the best mech to use for this."

"You were definitely the best mech to use for this," Wheeljack replied, shaking his head. "As I said, it works. Until I connect it to the base energy output. The limitations put on it makes it throw one pit of a back surge, and then it blows up the base."

Three sets of optics stared at him. He chuckled grimly. "Yeah, I know, that part is not so good." Here goes nothing. "Actually, Mirage," he turned back to the noblemech, "you might be able to help."

"I would?" Mirage repeated, politely curious. "How would I be of assistance?"

"You're powering that electro-disruptor without it affecting your fuel requirements," Wheeljack replied plainly. "If I could duplicate your fuel conversion rate, maybe I could get it to work."

Mirage was instantly defensive. "Scientists have studied my disruptor before. It cannot be replicated."

"I'm not asking to look at the disruptor itself," Wheeljack replied, lifting his hands placatingly. "I was just hoping to examine its energy requirements and how your system prioritizes the energy output when you're using it. Maybe it can give me some ideas."

"It's okay, 'Raj," Hound said softly. "It won't be like back then."

What a curious thing to say. Wheeljack hoped he wasn't exacerbating something bad for Mirage with this request – then again, Ratchet probably wouldn't have aimed him at Mirage if that was a problem.

Mirage looked at the green mech, then turned his focus back to Wheeljack. The intensity of that look was enough to make him lean backwards a bit. "Just the energy requirements?"

"I promise," Wheeljack replied. "I just want to know if there's anything I can tweak in my model to make it run more efficiently. I'd need to monitor your systems through a series of tests, take a look at the disruptor's energy capacitor and maybe look at that part of the coding, but that's all."

"It would be very helpful, 'Raj," Hound put in. "You could make a serious difference."

Okay, there was definitely something here he was missing. Now was not the time to pry, though.

Mirage once again looked from mech to mech before sighing. "All right. I suppose I must do what I can to help. What time would you need me to come by?"

"Well, there's no time like the present," Wheeljack replied, helmfins blinking merrily and concealing the slight trepidation he felt at Mirage's obvious discomfort. "If you're free, that is?"

He watched as Mirage looked down at his empty cube. The noblemech seemed almost apprehensive. Is it so repulsive to him, what I asked him to do?

"I suppose that would be acceptable. Hound, Trailbreaker, thank you for the company. Shall I see you on the morrow?"

"Sure thing, 'Raj," Hound replied with a grin. "You can comm me later if you need to."

"Thanks for helping, Mirage," Trailbreaker added with an small smile. "Maybe if 'Jack can figure his shield out he can help me with mine, too."

"Sure thing," Wheeljack replied easily. "I'll let you know, okay?" He stood, subspaced his still full cube. "See you around, mechs." Then he turned to the door and hoped Mirage would follow.

Mirage couldn't calm down properly, even after they arrived in Wheeljack's lab. Perhaps especially since they arrived in the lab. The scientist was tottering around him, pulling out wires, connectors and equipment from piles in the organized chaos around him and talking all the while. Mirage kept half an audio focused on the inventor, but so far the mech was just making small talk.

He took a step closer to the holographic rendition of the base. The model was frozen with the shield partly deployed. "Is this it?"

"Yep, that's it," Wheeljack replied happily. "My newest problem. I think it would make a great difference if I can only get it to work right." He walked closer, and Mirage had to stop himself from stepping away. "So I'm very grateful that you would help me out."

"Of course," Mirage replied neutrally. "Where do you need me?"

"Oh, here," the scientist replied, indicating an empty space in the center of the floor. "If you'd stand there for a few moments, I'll hook you up."

Mirage stood, focusing on keeping his venting even and balanced. It would be all right – Hound wouldn't have asked him to do this if he didn't trust the erratic inventor. And he could always go through his own systems and code afterwards, make sure everything was as it should be.

He was relieved and gratified to find that Wheeljack had a habit of talking as he worked. The inventor narrated, and it sounded like a habit. Everything he did was named and explained, and although Mirage didn't understand everything, he understood enough to know that this part truly was only monitoring.

It was a comfort.

"Okay, I need a baseline first," Wheeljack said. "Would you move a little, please? As much as the wires will allow?"

Mirage felt more than a little foolish, but he walked a bit in place and swung his arms. "Like so?"

"Perfect," Wheeljack replied, helmfins blinking merrily. "And thank you for not just swinging madly around you. I had to replace most of the wires after Hound did that. He tried to dance."

Mirage chuckled lightly at that. "I have seen what he calls dancing. My condolences."

Wheeljack grinned – at least Mirage thought that that's what the twinkling helmfins meant. "Yeah, I bet it's a far cry from what you know as dancing, huh?"

"As far as I know, it's a far cry from what anyone would call dancing," Mirage replied dryly. "I have even tried teaching him, to no avail. I fear the mech simply doesn't have the sense of rhythm necessary."

The inventor laughed. "True. Okay, engage the disruptor, please."

Mirage felt more comfortable as he was allowed to fade away.

"Fascinating," Wheeljack murmured, staring at his equipment. "It barely spikes at all. Are you moving or standing still now?"

"Standing still," Mirage replied, watching curiously as the other mech made notes and adjusted dials. "Do you want me to move?"

Wheeljack nodded. "Please. Ah, see, there it spikes a bit." He lit up the room with one of those twinkling smiles again. "You know, you're a marvel, Mirage. I can't even hear you moving. Is that a spec ops thing or have you always been running silent?"

"I was designed for beauty and grace," Mirage replied truthfully. And a little shamefully - he could admit that to himself now that his image was disrupted and the blush on his cheeks couldn't be seen. "A silent frame was part of that."

"It's very impressive," Wheeljack said, still twinkling and studying his readouts. "To be this efficient, and still run so silently… The engineering put into your frame is first rate, really. I'm grateful that you'd let me study you."

Mirage blushed. Did the inventor not hear himself? He'd been complimented on his frame before, often enough really that it had no impact on him anymore, but Wheeljack didn't seem to know he was even giving a compliment. He acted more like he was pointing out facts of genuine interest to him.

"Are you getting any useful results, then?" He tried to keep his tone neutral, and any mech who didn't know him would have said he succeeded.

"Yeah, this is great," Wheeljack replied, blinking that smile at him again. "In fact, I think it's enough. I'd like to look at that capacitor too, if that's possible?"

Mirage nodded, then deactivated his disruptor and nodded again. "Certainly." He hoped the color had faded from his cheeks.

If it hadn't, Wheeljack didn't comment on it. He disconnected all the wires as efficiently as he had connected them, talking all the while, and then gestured towards a chair. "Sit there, please?"

Mirage obliged with his usual grace, and was surprised and pleased again when Wheeljack didn't give his frame any extra attention beyond what he needed to make sure the few remaining wires didn't tangle. No leers, no poorly hidden glances, no lewd jokes. It was refreshing and relieving not to have Wheeljack treat him like that. Maybe Hound had been right, and Wheeljack really was different. "How will you do this?"

The scientist picked up a datapad. "I need to connect this to the disruptor port and do some readings."

Mirage braced himself. "All right."

The scientist's grey fingers against his plating almost made him flinch, and surprisingly, Wheeljack pulled back. "I'm sorry," the scientist said contritely. "Shoulda warned you I was going to do that."

Mirage couldn't stop himself from staring at the inventor, no matter how rude it was. "What?"

"You're spec ops," Wheeljack explained. "I shoulda warned you I was going to touch you."

"Oh," Mirage said faintly. "I see. Well, I'm not as volatile as most of my unit, but I would still appreciate it." For other reasons.

"Sure thing. I'm going to connect to the port now."

Mirage made himself hold still and vent evenly.

"You're not too thrilled about this, are ya?" Wheeljack asked softly. Mirage could feel his fingers moving against the disruptor on his shoulder and suppressed a wince.

"I am not," he replied truthfully. "I hope I can be of assistance, of course, but I'm not overly enthusiastic about the process."

"Well, I really do appreciate your help," Wheeljack replied. "And I'll try to make it as fast and easy as possible."

They sat in silence for a while, until Mirage couldn't bear the quiet any longer. He much preferred the distraction of Wheeljack's conversation and blinking headfins. "It's not so much this examination in itself," he admitted. "I am glad to be of help, honestly."

"Is it me?" Wheeljack asked, helmfins blinking in muted blues.

"No! No, it is not you, Wheeljack," Mirage replied in surprise. "I am sorry if I've given you that impression. No, it's… this. Being at the mercy of science."

"You did say scientists have examined you before," Wheeljack murmured. "Hold still for the connector prongs, please."

"There have been previous attempts to replicate the disruptor technology. Suffice it to say that not all of them were comfortable."

"I am sorry to hear that," Wheeljack replied in the same dulcet tones. He straightened, but left his hands on Mirage – one on the disruptor, one on his arm. "Wish I could say that mad scientists were a myth and we always have the best of everyone's interest at spark, but I'd be lying."

"As I said, it isn't you," Mirage repeated. "You cannot atone for the sins of others of your profession, Wheeljack."

"But we're Autobots, that's what we do." The helmfins twinkled merrily again, showing that Wheeljack wasn't serious. "Atone for stuff that isn't our fault, I mean. Prowl atones for the fall of Praxus plus every tactic that's gone less than perfectly since then, Ratchet atones for every single life lost on the battlefield, Optimus atones for everything lost period, and Skyfire atones for Starscream." He looked at Mirage then. "You… I suspect you atone for the sins of the Towers."

That hit closer to home than Mirage appreciated. He hadn't realized Wheeljack was so perceptive. "Those sins are mine to atone for. It is not an apt comparison."

"They aren't, though," Wheeljack replied, giving Mirage's arm a gentle squeeze. "The only sins you can atone for are your own. Now, I don't know what you actually did back before the war, but I'm fairly sure you've done enough good since then to make up for all manner of nasty. Okay?"

Mirage didn't know what to say. Wheeljack, apparently, took his silence for compliance, nodding and blinking that smile at him again. "Okay. I've got the readings I need. Disconnecting now."

That… had been a lot easier than Mirage had expected. "All done?"

"All done," Wheeljack confirmed as the plug was removed and cleared away. "I might have some follow-up questions though, you mind if I find you again?"

"Certainly." Mirage stood gratefully. "As I said, I am glad to be able to help."

"And as I said, I really appreciate it." Those helmfins blinked again. "Give me a couple of days to tinker, and I'll let you know how it goes, 'kay?"

Mirage just nodded. He was pleasantly surprised at how painless and easy the whole process had been, but Wheeljack had him on edge. The scientist saw more than he had expected, and the things he said were confusing, to say the least.

He needed an evening of quiet after this. Maybe that would get his thoughts in order.