A Stronghold/Upbeat scene. Because you asked for it. And because I've never gone so long without writing smex before! (SIX MONTHS! Ye gods. It's the end of the world as we know it...)

All communication takes place in Cybertronian, translated into English and using English colloquialisms where appropriate.

::...:: - internal communication.

'grinned', 'frowned' etc - indicates slight changes in the transformers' electromagnetic fields to express emotion.

Takes place at the end of Consular part 6 - Disquiet

Shower

::Nearly there::

'Beat nodded and hung on tightly to Stronghold as the Defender near-carried him through the transformer wing, heading for the wash rooms at the far end, in too much pain to worry about the mud they were both tracking along the slate floor.

He'd never been shot before. Never even been shot at. And to be hit by Highdive's armour-piercing rounds... Stronghold glanced at him as he 'whimpered', distress flickering through his field.

::You're in shock. Hold on just a little longer::

'Beat kept his optics fixed on the doors at the end of the corridor. It wasn't much further...

Stronghold headed for the innermost of the rooms, the one that had been specially designed for larger 'bots, or for more than one at a time. There was a seat there, for the injured - Vault had tried to allow for every eventuality - and the MGC collapsed onto it as Stronghold lowered him carefully then crouched down in front of him, peering at the damaged thigh assembly, which was still sluggishly leaking energon, then at the crippled doorwing.

::I think it would be best to be clean first. That way I can see what's what::

'Beat nodded, flinching as his doorwing jarred against the wall. The Defender eyed it critically.

::How sensitive is your sensor array?::

::Not as much as a warrior's, but sensitive enough. Ironhide insisted I be aware of everything going on around me, and Ratchet brought the mods and revisions online several days before I left Diego Garcia:: He winced ::I'm still learning to use them::

Stronghold hmmed an affirmative. On Cybertron, Praxian doorwingers' arrays were attuned to the collection of information pertaining to their work, but that had - unfortunately - easily translated into the hyper-awareness required of the warrior clades. In his opinion it made the 'wings something of a liability, but his opinion was beside the point. He pulled a small subsidiary showerhead from its clip and began to carefully wash 'Beat's 'wing, using just warm water for now. Solvent would cause more pain, and he wanted to see the full extent of the damage first.

As the mud and dried energon began to clear from the metal plating, 'Spin slipped into the room, a medikit in his servos. Stronghold nodded and gestured to the alcove set into the wall. As 'Spin slid the small case into the space he glanced at 'Beat then the Defender.

::Am I needed?::

Stronghold spared him a quick look.

::Possibly not. I'll know more shortly, but my initial assessment is that the shots were clean and didn't damage anything vital. His self-repair has already kicked in. However, if you could keep yourself in readiness just in case...::

'Spin patted 'Beat's shoulder, then Stronghold's.

::Of course. Comm me if you need me::

'Beat managed a small 'smile'.

::Thank you::

'Spin inclined his head. ::Let me know what you need::

As he slipped back out of the room Stronghold laid down the showerhead and eyed his friend.

::This is going to hurt. I'll be quick::

And 'Beat bit back a staticky howl of pain as the Defender grabbed the doorwing and with powerful twist-yanks forced it back into shape.

xxx

::All right?:: Stronghold was behind him, supporting him as realigned sensors settled back into their normal resting states. 'Beat, his frame shaky and optics flickering with pain, glanced back and 'nodded'. The Defender rested surprisingly gentle servos under the plating on his colleague's shoulders, kneading the worryingly-tense underlying cables and lines gently. ::Sorry. There's no easy way to do that, but the quicker the better::

'Beat's helm rolled back against the Defender's frame, optics closing. ::And that feels good::

Stronghold 'chuckled'. ::Little trick I picked up from watching Graham. It's supposed to soothe and relax::

::Well, it distracts your processor from focussing on the pain, I'll give it that::

::Let's take a look at that leg::

Stronghold reached for the showerhead again, playing the water over the ragged hole, frowning at the entry wound while his digits carefully checked the back of 'Beat's thigh. ::Hm. Went straight through and the nanites are already at work, but I think this will need patching::

'Beat twitched, and Stronghold frowned up at him. ::Am I causing pain?::

::No... Just... a little sensitive there::

The Defender paused, then slowly 'smiled'. ::Ah. I see::

His touch gentled, stroking under the teal plating, and 'Beat shuddered, internal fans kicking in as his core temperature started to rise. Stronghold gazed up, surprised.

::A little... overwrought?::

'Beat 'scowled'. ::I've been shot. It's a new experience for me. Not one I particularly want repeated. It's also been a very long time since I had any... um... physical intimacy with anyone::

Stronghold laid down the showerhead and placed both hands on 'Beat's kneejoints.

::I'm sorry. I did not mean to tease::

'Beat glared at him.

::You weren't::

Stronghold held his gaze for a moment. ::Do you want me to continue?::

::I think it would be for the best::

::And how far do you want to take this?::

::You have a mate? Of any kind?::

::No. And I know you do not::

'Beat huffed his frustration. ::And we can't upset the humans::

::And they can't come in here::

'Beat gazed at the Defender crouched between his legs for a long moment, then reached a servo to cup Stronghold's face.

::So, therapeutic, medically-sanctioned mutual overload to ease the stress of first combat and injury, then?::

Stronghold 'grinned', a deep throbbing chuckle emanating from somewhere very deep within.

::To quote the humans - I love it when you talk dirty...::

xxx

Although it wasn't expressly forbidden, it was generally tacitly agreed that humans shouldn't be apprised of all the different ways in which transformers... connected. Their hosts were, obviously, familiar with speech, and more or less understood internal comms, even though they perceived it as some sort of radio communication. A few of them knew about their guests' physical sensitivities and their ability to feel pain and pleasure - although even they hadn't taken into account what that sensitivity might imply. But almost none of them fully realised that communication was the foundation of transformer existence.

Some of the fanfic Poppy had read came close - in fact, the transformers themselves had started calling the more intimate communication 'interfacing', since it described the activity rather well. A hardline connection - dual cables to surface ports to share information/emotions/desires - was the easiest and least obtrusive. Sharing energy fields was more intimate, but the fallout could be dangerous to the organics, so remained strictly private. Simultaneously sharing fields and physical contact was also not to be made public. But the second most intimate method of all involved something that, to humans, would look like the sex they engaged in for both pleasure and procreation.

No one had been able to establish why autonomous robotic organisms should require interfacing apparatus, although it was generally considered fair that each transformer had both penetrative and receptive equipment - the humans had dubbed them spike and valve, respectively, in their stories, and the terms had stuck. That the act of interfacing in this most intimate manner was intensely pleasurable could not be denied: it relieved stress, eased tension, and the information exchanged in this way was... profound. The only act more overwhelming was sparkmerging, or sparkmerging while interfacing physically, something that was rarely done these days. To share sparks left both parties vulnerable, which was not desired during a war...

Since 'Beat was the injured party, Stronghold assumed the active role, the panel at his groin folding back out of the way and his spike pressurising as he seated himself crosslegged on the floor of the wash room. 'Beat watched him appreciatively, admitting silently - in his overcharged state - that the Defender was attractive, intelligent, his field redolent of contained power, consideration, and, oddly, affection, although that may be due to the influence of his human. 'Beat consciously slid back his own interface panel, valve self-lubricating as he carefully lowered himself onto the Defender...

Mmmmmmmm... Ridge for ridge and sensor node for sensor node, spike slid smoothly into valve, 'Beat's systems hitching higher as he settled lower. Stronghold half-shuttered his optics, focusing on the sensation of the smaller 'bot seating himself in his lap and on his spike, their fields meshing as their internal sensornets pulled in tight...

Then, with a twist-click, the output jack at the tip of the spike slotted into the port at the top of the valve and 'Beat shuddered as energy pulsed through him in cascading waves...

Stronghold is good at this flitted briefly across his processor as the strength of the pulses grew slowly, rippling along his sensors, visibly sparking along plating, winding tension tighter in a way his systems interpreted as intense pleasure. Swept up in sensation and approaching overload, he barely felt Stronghold's servos slip under the plating at his shoulders, strong thin digits spread and stroking sensitive cabling - then twisting and lightly pinching a cluster of nodes at the base of his neck strut...

'Beat froze, every cable and line quivering with tension, as pleasure screamed through him, then collapsed against the Defender, shaking as the charge slowly dissipated. Stronghold stroked his helm, supporting him as every system settled into its passive state, all stress eased, all tension relieved.

::I think the humans call this 'puddle of goo'::

'Beat managed to 'chuckle'. ::It does vaguely resemble one of Steamy's cream custard desserts. Metaphorically speakling::

Stronghold nuzzled his face. ::How do you feel?::

::... wonderful...::

'Beat's 'voice' was fuzzy, the stress of the day and his overload leaving him exhausted but now content. Stronghold depressurised his spike, easing gently out of the MGC's valve, closing his own panel and manually securing 'Beat's; there was nothing to clean up, physical interfacing had no need for the exchange of anything more than a little lubrication to prevent damage. Interfacing itself exchanged pure energy - although Stronghold sometimes wondered if the release of what the stories called transfluid might add anything to the experience...

::Let's finish cleaning up and have 'Spin patch those wounds, then you can have some energon and relax for the rest of the day::

::Wonderful idea::

They stayed sitting as the Defender operated the showers, using a mild solvent and gently but efficiently cleaning the rest of the grime from them both. Then he hauled himself and the smaller 'bot upright, comming 'Spin as he supported 'Beat for the drying fans before helping him from the room. Just outside he paused and eyed the MGC pensively.

::Like to do that again sometime?::

'Beat 'grinned', field flaring momentarily with lust and affection.

::Mm. Very much::

Stronghold nodded, his own field briefly meshing with his friend's.

::I'll see what I can arrange...::

xxx

© JAT 11.02.12