A/N: I'll try to make this short and sweet. This is a one-shot based in an alternate universe I've created. I'm working on getting the bulk of the fic written before I start posting chapters - that way you won't have to wait months and months for updates. Until then, I've jotted down a few one-shots to gather concrit on the series. Rainbow is an OC I created, as is his dead lover Codebreaker. Takes place sometime mid-G1. Let me know what you think.
Some Nights -
Screams in his ears like songs. Energon and coolant and lubricant ran over his fingers, life draining from them. They didn't deserve it, anyway.
They ran, ran like little turbo-rats, scurrying over corpses they knew, corpses with faces they'd see in their dreams.
If they were lucky.
They could run if they wished, but he'd catch them. He'd find them eventually, and then...then he'd squeeze their throats and crush their skulls and rip their limbs from their twitching bodies, yes, he would hurt them, make them suffer, make them pay...
Make them suffer like he'd suffered. Like his Lover had suffered.
Screams are fainter, fewer. Soon there would be none left, and then there would be no one to hurt, no one to kill. No one left to pay the price for His death.
No one except himself.
Yes, that was fine. Once all the little parasites had been crushed, torn, bled, destroyed ripteargougediediedie-
"Rainbow!"
His optics flashed open and he hurled himself away from the figure crouching above him.
"Oh, Primus, Rain, are you okay?"
Shivering with fear and hatred, the painter lifted his head to stare at the Autobot in front of him.
"I..."
Bluestreak said nothing, simply crouched down beside his lover and took his hand. They sat like that for a while, until the shaking stopped.
"Think you can recharge now," the Datsun said, his form slumped and tired. His optics, though...Rainbow gazed at his new lover, contemplating.
"Yes, I can manage."
Hesitantly, the smaller mech stood, helping Rainbow up though Bluestreak knew Rainbow didn't need help. Didn't want help.
"I didn't ask if you can manage. You shouldn't have to "manage"," Bluestreak whispered, looking a little lost. Sighing, he chose his next words carefully. "If you would rather...I mean, if my being here bothers you...I can leave you alo-"
"NO!"
Suddenly terrified beyond reason, the painter clung tightly to Bluestreak's arm. Despite the pain - yes, there had to be pain, he was denting him - Bluestreak didn't wince, or flinch, or shy away. It was nothing new to Rainbow. He knew that Bluestreak wasn't afraid of pain. Wasn't afraid of being hurt.
Wasn't afraid of him.
Lying down beside the sleepy mech with whom he shared a berth, Rainbow took in the details of his face, his body, his glittering optics. Most other mechs thought Bluestreak was an innocent, a cheerful, friendly, outgoing 'bot who loved to chatter on.
Rainbow knew the truth.
He knew that if he hadn't woken the Datsun, it would be Bluestreak thrashing in his sleep, Bluestreak fighting and killing the shades of his past, Bluestreak screaming in anger and terror as the memories swallowed him whole.
He often stayed awake and watched the Datsun thrash in his sleep. Some nights, he woke him. Others, he just observed. On those nights, he heard Bluestreak's most painful secret.
He heard his new lover crying out his name in fear. Not fear for himself. Fear for Rainbow. Fear that someday, Rainbow would be torn from him...
Like Rainbow's lover had be torn...
On those nights he considered telling Bluestreak the truth about why he rampaged in his nightmares. Not in old hatred and stale fury. Not for Codebreaker. In his nightmares, it was Bluestreak who was killed before his optics. Bluestreak who cried out for him as his life drained away. Bluestreak who reached out to him one last time, before...
Closing his optics, Rainbow snuggled closer to his new...his lover.
One of these nights, Rainbow would tell him.
Just...not tonight.
END