Chapter 1
Drift wandered the corridors of the Xantium, trying to find the one bot who never showed up to anything. Perceptor. Ever since he upgraded himself and helped get them out of the swarm and saved Drift numerous times, he's been distant. Quiet. It worried Drift to a point where he snuck into the scientist's room every night to check on him. Every night, he found him in deep recharge with a small frown on his face. One night he felt helpless as Perceptor screamed in terror and woke from a nightmare. He pressed a hand to his chest and a hand to his upgraded optic. He wasn't right that day.
Drift stood outside the door, audial pressed to the cool metal, listening through the door. For someone who killed so many bots, he couldn't have the courage to just knock. He could hear small whimpers coming from the room. Perceptor was talking to himself:
"I'm not needed anymore. Even after these slagging upgrades. They still downgrade me! I don't see why they still want me around. I'm just a burden to the team. First I blabber my mouth off and get myself practically killed. I won't let it happen again. They left me. They know their views. I won't burden this team anymore."
That was the moment when it all came together in Drift's mind.
"NO!"
A shot rang through Perceptor's room. Drift stood frozen, audial still pressed to the door. A stray tear fell down Drift's face as his mouth hung open in shock but mostly sadness. He closed his optics and pressed further into the door, trying not to lose it. His hands turned into fists, clawing at the door helplessly. He opened his optics and stepped away from the door as it opened.
Perceptor stood shaking, tears staining his face and a gash from where he missed.
Drift kicked his processor into gear and stepped in, closing the door harshly behind him, glaring at the scientist. He grabbed the scientist's collar seams and pulled him close to his own face, their noses almost touching.
"What do you think you were doing?!" Drift snapped.
"I-i. . ." Perceptor tried to answer.
"Don't you dare make any excuses! I heard you!" Drift shouted in Perceptor's terrified face. "And if I ever hear you say any of that again! . . ."
Drift never finished his threat.
Instead he pulled Perceptor close to him, holding onto the scientist as if his life depended on it. It stunned Perceptor. Drift buried his faceplate into Perceptor's shoulder after feeling the other hold him just as tight. Perceptor cried into Drift's shoulder, letting it all loose in front of the warrior. Drift just softly rubbed his back in comfort.
"Listen to me." Drift whispered. "You are not a burden. You never will be. I trust you with my life and you have proven to be worthy of that so many times that I've lost count. You. Are. Amazing. And we all care about you. We may not show it. But we all do. Especially me."
"Y-you care?" Perceptor whimpered
"Of course I do!" Drift cupped Perceptor's helm, making him look at the warrior. "Don't ever think that none of us care . . . now come on."
Drift lowered his arms, taking Perceptor's hands in his and guiding the scientist to the bed. He sat on the bed, pulling Perceptor over to lay with his helm on his chassis. Drift let Perceptor get himself comfy against the warrior's frame.
"Don't ever think you're alone. Trust me." Drift whispered before glancing down at the calm mech in his arms. "I know what it's like to be abandoned. The Decepticons left me for dead for 100 stellar cycles. But I came back for you didn't I?"
Perceptor looked up at Drift, finally smiled. "And I owe you a great debt for it."
"You have already paid it off. More times than I can count." Drift murmured. "Now get some recharge."
Been so long since I posted on here. Wow. Be prepared for a possible bombardment tomorrow since I will be attempting to type everything I have finished up since I left you guys for so long.
Well. I will be updating everything that I haven't in a while and will actually set an alarm to post stuffs up since I've almost finished university. I only have to give in two assignments.