Red Alert stood anxiously outside Iacon Central City Hall of Records. His servos twitched at his sides, every-so-often raising and rubbing at one of the sensory nubs on his helm. The young mech could just see the edge the sun as it set over well cared for roofs of the housing district. A few patrons of the Hall of Records passed by, most on their way to family and home but a few entering the building. Red Alert tried to pay them as little mind as they spared him, trying to only look for a black and white Praxian frame, but he struggled. He couldn't help but listen to hushed comm line conversations and note which files they checked out and step back if any a mech talked too close.
For three weeks, he'd corresponded with Prowl, slowly working up the courage to ask his long-lost childhood friend if they could meet. Unbeknown to the IT technical support agent, the junior enforcer had found himself in the same boat. Now, Red Alert waited outside the Hall of Records for the officer to get of shift and-hopefully-arive. The nagging voice in his helm insisted Prowl wouldn't, that he didn't really want to reunite.
Street lights popped on one-by-one. Red Alert signed, consigned to wait for someone who wasn't going to show. He should've been used to this by now: someone who cared for him, or once did, or was supposed to, or said they did, deciding he wasn't worth it. His carrier, his sire, the social worker, the foster families. The white and red mech could add Prowl to the list now too. Quietly, he wondered when Hound's family would join.
A smooth transformation sequence caught his attention. Red Alert stared blankly at the black and white mech making his way up the stairs, wishing his own change could occur so fluidly. Missing out on a few youngling upgrades had quite the impact on activating all the right protocols in the right order. Not having anyone explain the whole process until he was almost grown probably just exacerbated it.
"Red Alert?"
Instantly, all his attention was on the mech who'd been climbing the stairs. In Red Alert's moment of distraction, the stranger had gotten so much closer, now only a few paces away.
"What do y-"
A red chevron stood out prominently on the black and white mech's forehelm. Two sensory wings fanned out over his shoulders.
"Prowl?"
"Red Alert!" The taller mech sprung forward, catching his childhood friend in a strong embrace. It happened so quickly, Red Alert didn't even think of shying away. "I can hardly believe-after all this time-finally." Prowl settled on, clutching the shorter mech, as one who expected something dearly loved to be taken at any moment.
"P-Prowl." Red Alert reiterated. "You came." The words fell lightly, barely escaping from his mouth. Slowly, cautiously, he returned the embrace, fingers unsure of what to do as they reached around fluttering wings. "I didn't think you really wanted . . ."
"Oh Red." Prowl smiled down at his friend, heedless of the odd looks passersby shot them. "I've been trying to find you for so long. Nothing could stop me from coming. Nothing."
"Perhaps we should move our conversation inside." Red Alert suggested, frame tensing from the amount of attention Prowl and he were getting per looks and whispered comments. "We're causing a bit of a scene."
Releasing the smaller mech, Prowl threw his arms wide, wings splaying out above his shoulders. "I want them to know-I want everyone to know-I've found you!" But even in his excitement, the mech of Praxian heritage could sense the unease in Red Alert's electromagnetic field. "Let's go inside." The enforcer offered his servo to the IT technical support agent, hoping he'd take it.
An ephemeral smile materialized on Red Alert's lips. Nodding, he gently took the offered hand. They walked slowly into the Hall of Records.
"So . . ." Prowl started, suddenly unsure of what to say to the mech who'd disappeared from his life so long ago. "In one of your letters, you said you're doing IT for the enforcers now. What station?"