Seriously, this world is very very very desperately in need of more Nightbeat/Quark.

Nightbeat woke to the sound of repetitive, tedious clicking noises in his right audiol. It took him a moment to power on his optic band; as his system slowly rebooted, he could feel pain build and bud at his temples, the back of his helm, down his shoulders, across his chest... Well, pretty much everywhere ached and hurt.

"You're up finally."

Nightbeat smacked his lips. He could taste stale energon and oil. "Mnneh." It tasted like Hell dipped in gutter water.

"How do you feel?"

"Hhhargh."

"Yes, that is to be expected."

Nightbeat had no idea where he was, what he was doing, what had happened, but he did know that soft, if not somewhat icy voice belonged to Quark. When he could see straight again, he looked up. Just as expected - Quark sat quietly by his head on the - bed? Yes, this was Nightbeat's berth.

The pallor 'bot was busy typing and clicking away on a near-translucent blue datapad, frown set deep, optics narrow behind glasses. Default expression when he was busy - looked both bored and annoyed. But this... This didn't feel normal.

"Wha..." Nightbeat scrubbed his face with one shaky hand. "Wha... What happened?"

"You got into a fight," Quark answered, still focused on his work. "You went to jail. I bailed you out, and brought you back to your suite."

Nightbeat's visor flashed. "Eh-hmm?" He still couldn't think straight, high grade sloshing about in his head. Before he went to sit up, Quark placed one firm hand on his shoulder.

"No."

Nightbeat couldn't argue with that. He slowly sunk back into the berth, sighing. He listened to Quark fuss with the datapad as he attempted to recalibrate his systems. Two minutes later, Nightbeat rolled his head back, looked up at his partner. "So... Um..." He scratched idly at his chin. "You... uh... you mind-"

"You had been tailing a suspect," Quark interjected, optics skimming the datapad. "Faux, if you recall."

It took him a moment, then Nightbeat snorted bitterly. "Yea. Remember him."

"And maybe you might remember Prowl ordering you to drop Faux's case due to lack of evidence and trouble you were causing for his precinct, as well as the restraining order Faux put on you for constantly harassing him."

Nightbeat grumbled. He remembered the argument with Prowl all right. He'd almost left the his office busting the officer's lip. "Mmyeah, guess..." he grumbled.

"Yes, you do remember," Quark insisted. He kept his tone at that same chilly, distant level. "But you went after Faux anyway. Tracked him down at Last Resort. Watched and observed him for a while. Wanted to catch him in the act. Got overcharged in the process. Ended up confronting Faux, turning a heated argument into a brawl."

Nightbeat licked his lips, hesitant. "... Did I win?" he asked, meekly.

Quark finally lowered the 'pad, fixing his partner with a sour, tired look. "You were thrown out of a bar, arrested by the police, and spent two joors in prison," he stated. "Do you call that a victory?"

"Well, dunno... How bad did Faux look?"

"Worse off than you."

Nightbeat grinned smugly. "Yup. Victory."

"Except now he's going to file a lawsuit. Not only on you, but the practice," Quark hissed. He slapped the datapad angrily on the bed. "What were you thinking, Nightbeat!?" he snarled, throwing open his arms. There was the dramatic Quark Nightbeat knew. "I mean, you've done some incredibly stupid things in the past, but this takes the oil cake! You risked both your career and your life for the sake of this one scum-sucker!"

Nightbeat giggled. "I like it when you curse. It's cute."

"I'm serious, Nightbeat!"

"But if you believe my life was at stake," Nightbeat said, sobering up a little, "then you also believe Faux was responsible for the Iacon shoot-out and works as an operative for the Underground."

Quark pushed up his glasses. "I never said that."

"Right, riiight," Nightbeat chuckled.

"I certainly would never agree to you stalking the mech," the white 'bot scowled. "You're lucky you came out of there alive. And you're lucky I was able to bail you from prison." Quark sighed and massaged his temples. "Sigma, but you're going to need a new aft once Prowl's finished chewing it out."

"Prowl didn't chew me out already?" Nightbeat groaned. "Damn. Means I gotta hear it and remember it sober."

"He contacted me once you made bail and told me he's setting up a meeting between you, myself, and the rest of the practice," Quark explained. He frowned, a sad look on his pale face. "I'm worried about you, Nightbeat. This could be it. Prowl will not only take away your badge, but make sure you never work in law enforcement ever again. Not here, not anywhere on Cybertron."

Nightbeat mumbled and shifted in his bed. Hadn't yet realized he was laying upside down. "Mm'not worried," he said, shrugging. "Prowl's a gearstick, but I'm a P.I., not his lack-"

"You think you're above the local law? Is that it?" Quark said heatedly. "You really think he's just going to let all of this go? That's he's just going to-" He flitted a hand in the air. "-let all of this fly? 'Yes, Nightbeat, I understand what you did was totally appropriate and justified. You're forgiven. Let's go out and have some oil-rings'."

"Oil-rings are such a cop stereotype," Nightbeat chortled.

"You're not listening to me!" Quark snapped, fingers curling into fists. "Prowl's not going to let this go. At all. And certainly not easily. You're in serious scrap, Nightbeat, and I don't think you realize that. I don't think you ever stopped to consider the repercussions and consequences of your actions when you were pursuing Faux to that bar." He pushed his fingers into his temples, scowling angrily. "Did it-did it ever occur to you, even once, that what you were going to do was a horrible, awful, stupid idea?"

Nightbeat pursed his lips. "I might have been a little tipsy before I arrived."

"Oh, Sigma," Quark growled, throwing his arms up in resignation. "You're helpless. You're just- You're really something else, you know that? Something that has yet to be defined, but it does include reckless and idiotic."

"Yeah, maybe," Nightbeat sighed. He tilted his head back, fixing the glowering white 'bot with a lopsided smile. "But it's also 'something' that youlike."

Quark looked utterly offended, earning a laugh from his partner. "I should have let you spend the night in jail," he growled, standing.

"Hey hey."

Quark blinked and looked at the hand tight around his wrist. His gaze met Nightbeat's. The visored mech said nothing, but let his partner's hand go and slowly pushed himself up to a sit.

"Why do you need to- Whatever!" Quark quickly took his shoulders, helping him upright. He swayed forward, his partner pushing him back.

Nightbeat sighed, crouching tiredly.

"Don't over-exert yourself," Quark ordered, hands still on his shoulders. "You're going to-"

With a small squeak, Quark was suddenly yanked into Nightbeat's embrace, the detective resting the side of his head to his abdomen. "Oooh, Quark, I don't mean t'make you so miserable and bent out of shape," Nightbeat crooned, but he hardly sounded sympathetic. It was more teasing; he started nuzzling his cheek, then. "Jus' got a headache, give me a klik, this is nice, though, this helps-"

"I swear to Vector Sigma," Quark growled, pushing at the arms looped around his thin waist. "You are an insufferable-" But then he found himself falling over, flipped, and pressed into the berth on his back. "Would you - at least - for once - let me finish!?" he half-screeched.

Nightbeat cooed. "Shh, no need to yell," he chuckled, nudging his forehead to Quark's. The white 'bot grumbled something. "I'm right here." He gave another nuzzle before settling in place. "And, if you gimme a klik, I want to... you know."

Quark's frown twitched. "Apologize?" he offered blandly.

"Yeah," Nightbeat chuckled, smiling. He raised his head, pressed a quick kiss to the orb on Quark's forehead. "Apologize."

Quark's yellow optics had brightened at the sharp edges. "It's... It's fi- No!" He spat and kicked beneath the body above him. "It's not fine!" He shoved a finger hard against Nightbeat's chest, jabbed once, twice. "You screwed up big time!"

"Yeah, maybe," Nightbeat sighed, giving a slight shrug. He knocked his forehead back with Quark's. The white 'bot grunted. "But... save the lectures for t'morrow, okay? Right now, I just wanna-" Then his arms were scooping Quark off the berth; Nightbeat fell onto his back, squeezing the smaller 'bot to his chest, arms wrapped tight around his torso.

"Stop throwing me around like a rag doll!" Quark spat, wiggling on top of the detective.

"But you're so warm and soft," Nightbeat crooned, cuddling his agitated partner.

"How is that even possi-" Quark choked on his words as one strong hand cupped the back of his head and thrust it down into a kiss. His optics widened, bright-bright yellow, and Nightbeat's smile was cool against his lips. However, instead of pushing himself free, Quark relaxed a little and allowed himself to be kissed. Nightbeat was all too happy, and soon... Dammit.

Quark took Nightbeat's face in his lithe hands, their optics powering down as they kissed. What was clumsy and one-sided became slow and welcome, and Nightbeat hummed in his throat at the small moan vibrating against his lips. A second later, Quark drew back, turning away. "Frag," he gagged with a small blech, "you taste awful."

"You hurt my feelings," Nightbeat snickered. His hand drifted down Quark's neck, stopping to massage slow, soft circles in his back. His partner hummed and settled against his frame; he tucked his chin on Nightbeat's shoulder, cheek to cheek. The detective chuckled, but happily continued rubbing Quark's back, feeling slight tension from his usually knotted, anxious field slip away.

Quark's optics dimmed, and he sighed. "Why are you so stupid?"

Nightbeat smiled. "Somethin' in my programming, I guess."

"You should get that taken care of," Quark hummed. Nightbeat turned his head, pressing a kiss to the side of his face. Quark's long fingers slowly curled. "... Someday, at least."

"I'll keep that in mind," Nightbeat chuckled. He exhaled, chest rising alongside Quark, falling. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember tonight's events. He remembered tailing Faux and following him to the bar. Remembered he drank one mug, then two, then three annnnnd then things got fuzzy and blurry. His hand settled on Quark's back, and he looked to the side of his head.

"You're really that worried, huh?"

Thin fingers twitched at his arms. "Yes."

Nightbeat's smile softened. "I'm sorry." He received no response, but coiled his one arm tighter around his partner. Hand returning to massaging. "Don't worry. I'll figure something out. This doesn't concern you. Just let me talk to Prowl."

Quark raised his head, annoyed frown on his face. "You? Talk to Prowl? Alone?" He squinted. "You want to make things worse?"

Nightbeat chortled. "You have so little faith in me?"

"I think after tonight, I should have none whatsoever."

Nightbeat's optic band softened its glow. "Implies you still do, though. At least a little."

Quark tucked his head back away. "... Not much."

Nightbeat thought a moment, silent, save the humming of their systems. Finally, he carefully loosened his grip around Quark's waist. Pushed himself to a sit with his heels and hand. His partner slipped in his lap, legs awkwardly wrapped around him. Quark moved back, meeting the detective's gaze. He looked less irritated, less stressed now; tired, but comfortable, if his mellow EM field was any indication. Hard thing to settle, that field, but Nightbeat had learned to master the art over time.

The two stared at one another for a moment. Quark a bit too seriously. Nightbeat couldn't help but snicker, unable to hold it in. He bumped his forehead to Quark's, and before his partner could complain, took him into another kiss. Nothing deep, nothing heavy, but certainly warm and inviting. It lasted only a few seconds before Nightbeat sat back, sighing heavily and happily.

"What is it?" Quark grumbled, pushing up his glasses. His optics still flushed bright and radiant.

"We can talk later. Recharge soon. But right now..." Nightbeat smiled sweetly. "I feel like I need to purge."

"Oh, for the love of- You're disgusting!" Quark snarled, shoving Nightbeat away and crawling out of his lap.

Nightbeat laughed before suddenly tasting burning energon rising from his tanks and into his throat. Quark watched him run out of the room, face still twisted with disgust.

"So stupid."