Queen's note: I'm not dead, and this turned into a cuddles.

Thank You For Helping

Chapter Three:

Not Bad For Now

Sideswipe did not need to sleep like a human, but he did take the chance once Tallen was asleep herself to let himself relax. Settling against her side partly in the dark, the small mecha could watch the red-tinted laptop screen and the auto-play of quieter lets plays. Sideswipe could understand the need for white-noise to get recharge. Or sleep in the case of humans.

The red and black mech gently patted the woman on her front. His optics stayed dimmed through the night but he relaxed his energy field at last. He did not mind the human bio-energy at all, and got some half-recharge to rest his own systems. Around five am, Sideswipe carefully moved and climbed out of the warm spot between human and the wall. He shook himself once a few feet away, stretching and waking up fully.

Turning, Sideswipe considered the sleeping human, amused that she had snored not unlike himself before. The mech looked around in the grey light from the window, peering into the tanks near him. The lizard was still sound asleep as well, but there was some movement. The big tank, the one where Tallen had said 'Honey and Red' lived in, it had a blanket over the front but something pale was moving at the corner.

Padding quietly, completely soundlessly in fact, to the big tank and peering in as he lifted the blanket a little. Blue optics widen as he looked over at Tallen. He looked up and checked the locks on the tank, making sure it was really secured so the two big snakes wouldn't get out. He was happy to find that they had locks of a sort that needed thumbs to work.

Primus this human was crazy.

He kind of liked that.

Sideswipe was also happy to find a loose toy of his brother in his reach, it was by no means a replacement, but it was... comforting.

Sideswipe turned his attention back to snooping, poking through the kitchen, finding a few things seemingly hidden. Like another smaller snake tank. There were a few smaller tanks for smaller geckos that held his attention, fascinated at the inch long geckos that stuck to the side of glass. Peering back at Sideswipe, attracted to the glow of his optics. The small mecha looked upwards at the assortment of lines above him in the forms of the colorful butterflies. Fake butterflies but it was still interesting, and he remembered seeing a glow for a little bit from the glow in the dark stars as well.

It was cute and Sideswipe could appreciate the show of individuality. A reflection he thought, following the lines with his optics before seeing the semi pattern. He walked to the front door, reflexively checking to see if the door was locked. Sideswipe paused, considering the metal door, stepping closer to youth the cold thing. The small mecha leaned against the door, pressing the side of his helm against it. Not so much trying to hear through it, his adios were far better than any normal AI, if Sideswipe truly focused he could pick out the steady heart beat as well as breathing in the next room. Yet Sideswipe knew he did not have the attention span to do that for long.

Or this.

Yet... Sideswipe squinted his optics as he concentrated as he coded another ping. He wanted to reach his brother, but only him. Sideswipe was pretty sure it was only his brother out there in this strange world.

The little mech did not mind his size so much, or embracing his natural instincts to help him blend in. The latter part of 'robots in disguise,' he knew how to mimic enough to blend in. Though Sideswipe would admit it had been fun to run around for a bit before he was caught and put in that thrift store. The small mecha shook his hand and wrist out, grateful for the wire to be gone.

Using the door like a conductor, but also…or more like something to shield, the red mock sent out a ping. Waiting for about ten minutes before he had an answer.

Sideswipe grinned, and as much as he wanted to open a channel on his coms, Sideswipe knew enough not to. Sunstreaker would ping next, when he was closer, as far as the red mech could tell this was a safer place. A 'transformers' fan, but someone who seemed to be alone, at least from what Sideswipe found on the laptop.

A soft sound drew his attention. The small mecha pushed himself up and moved back to the small bedroom. Bright optics peeked in, and Sideswipe watched as Tallen rolled over, stretching out an arm. She was not really awake truly, but still grabbing the tumbler cup water set near the bed. The red mech came over to the bed again. Climbing back on and over the woman's legs, getting a confused sound but chirped softly back, in a tone he knew was friendly.

Everything was fine, Sideswipe was back, so go back to sleep. "Hmmip."

Tallen chuckled feeling a warm metal hand patting her arm. She put her cup down, lifting her head enough to squint at window above. Seeing it was still dark, tallen made a face and shifted, rolling over in place. Sideswipe meeped and warbled strangely as he shifted too, to get up on the fish pillow again. The mecha gave her a strange look, not having expected someone to be that flex able.

Primus if this had been reversed, Sideswipe knew he wouldn't be able to twist and roll in place like that. He poked the woman and she stirred, reaching up behind in a way, without opening her eyes found the mouse pad. Triggering the autoplay again before relaxing, "Churrp?"

"Still dark, too early." Tallen muttered, teetering on the edge of going back to sleep completely.

Sideswipe shrugged, settling down some more, tugging a part of the blanket up and over him as well. It was soft and warm, his brother was somewhere relatively close having made good time when Sideswipe was stuck in the thrift store. He shifted and slid off his new pillow, wedging himself between the large fish plush and the woman's side. He would not admit it, but he liked the sense of companion ship, of comfort, more so with the small Sunstreaker toy he still held onto.

"Hmm?" Tallen yawned again, lowering an arm and sleepily giving the small black helm a tired pet, and humming with a flicker of amusement as the 'AI' gave her a pet back on her front. That seemed fair as the two settle to dose the rest of the morning.