Chapter 4: Crouching Cheater Hidden Laughter
"Okay, what the scrap is up with this?" Bulkhead grumbled stomping the ground, "The cons just out of nowhere found five more Energon deposits and we only save one? What the Pit!"
"Bulkhead, calm down, you're going to wreck some of my-" CRUNCH! "...equipment..."
"Oops..." the green giant gulped. As quietly as possible he scraped what had been Ratchet's welding torch off of the bottom of his foot. Ratchet's stern glare was enough to pierce the plating of the Nemesis itself.
"Bulkhead, we can't help it. We're lucky to have even obtained one of the findings. It'll keep us going for quite some time. Sure the cons may have gotten their greasy mits on more, but they have more to dispense between the accumulations. If you must blow off steam I'd suggest getting Bumblebee for a game of basketball or something." Bulkhead sighed knowing that the medic was right. He shouldn't be as worked up as he was. With just a five-bot team it was impossible to do everything they desired. But still...it never felt good when the cons did get their way.
"So, still recovering from your operation huh?" Miko's voice sounded. Both bots looked down at the human in surprise. Neither had noticed her enter.
"Uh-uh Miko!" Bulkhead hopped to his feet in a panic, "Um-uh-yeah, I just was getting a check-over by doc-bot here." Ratchet grunted from the nudge Bulkhead gave him. At first his glare worsened but then he realized why he'd done it. Immediately he became just as flustered.
"Oh why yes! Bulkhead's still mending from that uh...snap...punch thing that Knockout gave him..." the red and white Autobot added plastering an innocent smile on his faceplates. Miko just rolled her eyes. Ratchet and Bulkhead glanced at each other nervously.
"...alright yeah...I'm fine..." Bulkhead muttered in defeat, "We just thought it'd help things along if you rode with Jack on-"
"Arcee?" Miko finished. Reluctantly her guardian nodded. "Yeah...well I been doin' that the past five days or so, and for some reason, now don't ask me why, I miss barreling down the street with you Bulky boy. Besides, it's not like that was the first time we've ridden Arcee together. And me and Jack finished making up the other night at his place. Any reason you kept this little act up for so long?" Bulkhead looked to the side and tapped his fingers together.
"Uh...needed it to be convincing..." he told her. Miko smiled and shook her head.
"You're a terrible actor."
"Oh like you're any better!" Bulkhead huffed.
"Yeah, I am," Miko stated crossing her arms.
"So what about when you and Raf had to cover for Jack when he went racing? You couldn't even fool Optimus!" Miko's mouth dropped a bit. Truth be told she was having trouble thinking of a rebuttal. When she finally did open her mouth however it wasn't her voice that spoke.
"To their credit, I probably did deserve to get found out about," Jack admitted. Miko's cheeks flushed a bit at the feeling of his arms wrapping around her throat from behind, "But if you really want I can strangle her. Just say the word."
"Go right ahead," Bulkhead shrugged. Too startled at the answer to brace herself, Miko soon found her head racketing back and forth in the wobbling embrace.
"Alright alright, knock it off!" she choked desperately. Jack's laughter joined Bulkhead's as he slowed to a stop. Figuring it fitting payment, Miko elbowed him in the stomach effectively quieting him.
"Ohoho...well, it's good to see you two finally being friends again at least," Bulkhead ended his laugh, "Either way though, I'm gonna go see if Bee's up for basketball." Yeah, for what it was worth, the mining excursions were little to get worked up over with what he had to entertain himself.
"Yeah...friends..." Miko said quietly glancing down at Jack's arms.
The red Decepticon hummed a little tune to himself as he worked. He so did enjoy his job. Though he more liked using his surgical knowledge to pick things apart, he still knew how to entertain himself in the more slow aspects. Namely finding cures for viruses and diseases. He would gladly let any patient know that he'd bore himself into stasis-lock as an alternative with how long such trial and error procedures took. But with the well-being of their leader at stake he had no such luck. It was face that or the end of Megatron's fusion cannon...if he hadn't fallen completely by that point. Should he actually take the full plunge...well needless to say Knockout's tires would be heard all around the Nemesis in his attempts to evacuate.
"Kn-knockout..." Megatron's voice rasped. The medic spun around.
"Lord Megatron! What are you doing up? You should be rest-"
"I still have a duty to my army," Megatron hissed, "The location of an interesting stockpile has popped up via Soundwave's hacking. I may be unwell, but I still need to lead. I simply came by to see how your cure was coming." Knockout put a hand to his head and started walking towards the tall Decepticon.
"Far be it for me to tell you how to lead sir, but maybe you should just leave someone else in charge wh-"
"And have a possible repeat of Starscream or Airachnid? I think not!" Megatron slammed his fist down on the medical table. The echo of the metal was followed by a ragged coughing fit. Knockout peered at the trembling figure curiously.
"...sir...you haven't been injecting more Dark Energon into yourself have you?..." he asked. Megatron's expression darkened.
"Of course not..."
"Good...cause I was gonna lock up the rest of that acursed material later to-"
"NO!" Megatron yelled. Knockout stumbled back a bit in fright. Yes, Megatron may have been unhealthy, but his imposition was just as menacing as ever. "I...uh, what I mean is...we should keep it handy...just in case of emergency..." Knockout scratched the back of his head as he searched for what line of logic his leader was proposing.
"Right...well you just give your orders and get back to resting. I should have some sort of result in the next few hours." Reluctantly, Megatron nodded and exited. "Yeah...I'm gonna at least start moving some of the Dark Energon..." the medic thought.
The floor felt like it was the victim of an earthquake with how much it was rumbling.
"And he goes for a left!" Miko narrated Bumblebee's swerving, "But Bulkhead so has him beat as he's going for right now to confuse him but has me yelling what's going on so-" The excited girl's talking became that of a muffle as a hand clamped down on it. Squinting her eyes at Jack, Miko shook about trying to get free. His grip however was surprisingly strong. Had to be, of course, to deal with her usual antics. Still, she needed to keep her guardian up-to-date. Viciously she rocked about pulling and pushing at the boy's limb.
"Yeah! Come on Bee!" Raf hopped up and down on the other side of Jack. Miko's brows bent towards him. Thinking of nothing else to do, the girl reeled back her leg and sent it into Jack's ankle.
"YOW!" he yelped as he grabbed the sight of impact, "The hell was that for!"
"Raf gets to talk!" Miko pointed out. Jack's expression flattened.
"He's cheering his bot on, not continuing an astronomical track record of cheating," Jack defended. Miko blew a stream of air out of her nose in annoyance.
"Oh you like it," she shrugged, "If I didn't try that crap you'd have nothing to do."
"God forbid I don't have headache," Jack murmured back, "Still, lost that round." Miko's eyes shot open and she whirled around. Crouched over below his net was Bulkhead, the ball clearly fallen through its hoop on the ground next to him.
"Come on Bulky! Get your head in the game!" Miko hollered running over to him, "Gotta show that bee the flyswatter! Lay the smackdown! You need an Energon drink or anything?" Jack and Raf smiled to each other confidently while the winner of the previous round continued to dance around the room in front of them. The following moments were pretty much just that until Bumblebee ended the routine by flipping the metal ball back into his hands with a kick and twirling it in front of the taller Autobot's face. Bulkhead grinned back at him and titled his head to his human companion. Giving him a wink, Miko rejoined her friends on the sidelines, a grin on her face.
"And how are you gonna cheat this time?" Jack wondered audibly. Miko fluttered her eyelids at him innocently.
"Me? Cheat? Jackson Darby, honestly, why would you propose such a thing?" she cooed, the happy demeanor still on her face. At first Jack gave his usual grimace to her but soon found himself smiling back. It'd be half-hearted to say that he didn't enjoy the interaction and challenge that the Asian presented. Wordlessly agreeing to watch how things played out, they turned their attention back to the game. For the first part of it the match went rather smooth. Miko cheered Bulkhead on and Jack and Raf cheered for Bumblebee. Then Bumblebee started weaving through Bulkhead's movements.
"LEFT!" Miko shouted. Before she even closed her mouth Jack's hand was on it. Knowing that he'd halted another chance of unfairness, he smiled at her. To his surprise he could feel her mouth gain the same expression as she wiggled her brows at him. Jack lifted his right one suspiciously. Since she wasn't able to talk anymore though, he slowly turned his attention back to the game. That didn't stop her from trying of course. Every now and then she would muffle something through his hand...and occasionally it did seem to somehow alert Bulkhead of the moves Bumblebee was trying to make.
Jack was completely perplexed by the phenomenon. Part of him however didn't care that much. His teenage mind was more preoccupied with the lips moving across his palms. Their sliding motions caressing his sense of touch, easing his mentality. He might have just turned his tune with reality off entirely if the atmosphere hadn't changed. All of a sudden Miko had jumped out of his grip and let out a joyous cheer. Bumblebee meanwhile rejoined Raf with a sense disappointment. Somehow Bulkhead had outmaneuvered the yellow Autobot...and done so a bit too good. Jack may have not been paying attention to the game as much as he should've, but he was still there. And he was just as shocked as Raf with how Bulkhead had countered even some of Bumblebee's most evasive techniques winning the match with ease.
Miko gave Jack a sly smile as the next round started up. She was up to something. Feeling it best not to take chances, the boy slapped hold of her mouth straight from the start this time causing her eye's to pop open in surprise. Jack gave her the same expression she had him when the match had started. Whether it was to get him to retract his hand or for some other reason, he felt Miko's lips press delicately into his palm turning his cheeks quite a bit darker. The hand had remained stubbornly where it was though. Miko shrugged at the possible failed attempt to get free and turned her attention back to the game to continue her muffled shouting. Only this time Jack noticed something.
Whenever her voice would vibrate, more than just her mouth would move. Towards her body, her hands would jolt around. Sometimes they would point, other times they would spread the fingers out in certain directions. Either way, Jack had solved the mystery. But Miko didn't just deserve to be told to stop. No, she always deserved special treatment. Jack waited until just the moment that her hands started to move and struck. All at once he could feel her mouth begin to wriggle from the laughter she bit back. And as predicted Bulkhead attempted to figure out what all Miko's fidgeting hands were doing long enough for Bumblebee to snatch the ball from him. Realizing he'd have to fend for himself, the green giant dove for the ball and Jack halted his attack.
Miko squinted at Jack who just smiled back. But that wouldn't stop her. It took a few seconds for Bulkhead to lie in need of aide again so once more she tried to signal what Bumblebee was doing. And once again Jack's fingers rubbed into her side. Miko started to get teary eyed from the tickling. Her hands fidgeted uncontrollably confusing Bulkhead enough that he just decided to stop paying attention to her all-together. That's when Miko decided enough was enough. More playful than anything, Miko gently bit Jack's hand enough to make him finally take it away.
"Bulkhead! Bumblebe-mrpfr...FRMRPHHRFHRPH!" Miko's free voice soon found itself captured beneath Jack's returned grasp. The moment he saw her starting up the sign language he attacked her tummy with his free hand sending her into a fit of muted laughter. The higher his hands climbed the louder and more crazy it got. After a good thirty seconds he finally stopped the tickling and took his hand off of her mouth. Miko stood next to him knee-bent and gasping for air. She didn't realize her cheeks were burning until she looked down. The heat accompanied Jack's face also once he realized that his hand was still lying on her chest. Their eyes slid to each other's and Jack pulled away quickly.
Fortunately, Bumblebee and Bulkhead had been too preoccupied with their game to notice. The rest of the match played as quietly as two hopping robots could with the occasional forced cheer from Miko. Regardless of the input of the crowd, it was Bulkhead who took the fall with Bumblebee slam-dunking the ball right into the floor below the net. Both Autobots fell to the ground exhausted from the exercise and started laughing with each other allowing Miko and Jack to exit the room unnoticed by them. Raf's eyes watched them till they rounded the hallway beyond and lifted a brow.
"Okay guys...what was that all about?" Rafael Esquivel demanded. The two older teenagers looked down at the smaller boy that had entered the kitchen area. Feigning innocence, they gave each other a fake look of confusion.
"What do you-"
"You know. Back at the game. Jack kept his hand on...uh..." Raf cut Jack off before trailing into mumbles.
"It's called a boob," Miko informed pointing at her chest. Raf looked down at his feet shamefully.
"It was a mistake..." Jack told him kneeling down next to Raf and putting a hand on his shoulder. Miko glanced at her chest in thought. "Look, we're just friends alright? It was an accident. Body parts end up in embarrassing places sometimes, you know that."
"And you being all touchy and everything?" Raf reminded, "Walking off when Bee and Bulkhead were distracted without even talking?...That stuff isn't normal friend stuff...you sure you guys aren't making things too hard on yourselves or anything?"
"We're just...better friends now...and we needed some time to...just be alone after that..." Jack was finding the interrogation increasingly hard to cope with.
"Yeah, besides, I didn't mind," Miko shrugged. Both boys stared at her. "Uh...what I meant is I thought it felt fine, I mean-uh-if he really wanted he could have squeezed and I wouldn't hav-damnit! Um...I uh...I'm fine. We're fine. Everything's fine." Miko's smile stretched from ear to ear. Raf viewed Miko with an uneasy thought and then looked at Jack. They both did look like they were stressed about the whole thing beneath the mask of lifted spirits. And if they really were trying to be friends, he certainly wasn't helping matters...
"You're going to be just investigating. No smashing anything up, no alerting any possible cons that you're there. Just scouting," Ratchet's voice broke the group out of the predicament. Jack and Miko heaved a sigh of relief and rushed out to the excuse to hear what mission their guardians would be undertaking. Raf followed much slower behind, his mind ever-working. What all really was going on with them?...
-end of chapter-
Yeah...not much happenin' this time. Brain fried from not really getting much sleep so this is what you get. A basketball game and an accidental boob-grab...
...woohoo?
Here's Miko being tickled: warahi(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/You-Cheat-You-Laugh-303496156