Barricade: The authoress ditched us to go babysit with her mother. She got home maybe a half hour ago, took a shower, and is down for the count in the living room. So, I am putting up the chapter after finally cracking her password for her computer and FF account's password.
Rodimus: You're going to get into trouble...
Barricade: And I don't give a shit. Go away.
Rodimus: -growls-
Both: -fighting-
Kup: ... I am glad they aren't mine... Oh, and the authoress wanted everyone to know, that she edited the chapter and took out Lockdown, Smokescreen and Prowl meeting Anicon. And since this is a spinoff of Odd Couple, it's also a spinoff of Odd Moments, meaning Ratchet adopted Arcee.
(Longest Chapter to date!)
Disclaimer/Claimer: I owns nothing but the idea for the spinoff of Demyrie's Odd Couple. She also owns Anicon and Torque.
Chapter Eight
Detroit Racing Stadium
Friday; Race Track
Barricade smirked, staring at Rodimus' quite pink bike. To witness their attempt of the bet was Lockdown, Torque, Anicon, his brothers, Kup, Rodimus' cop team, Jazz and Ratchet and Arcee. Those last two were a surprise for Kup, since Rodimus found out Ratchet and Kup had been friends when Kup was a racer(1).
"IT ISN'T PINK DAMN YOU IRONHIDE!" Rodimus shrieked angrily. Barricade snickered.
"Kup, is it pink?" Arcee asked her father's friend. Ratchet smirked.
"Is it?" He asked, noticing his friend's silence. Kup smiled weakly.
"It's a shade darker, but the tail lights..." Rodimus started the bike, the tail lights turning on.
"OH MY BUDDHA! AND YOU FUCKING BITCHED AT ME FOR MINE BEING PURPLE!" shrieked Barricade in laughter. Everyone laughed.
"SHUT UP IT ISN'T FUNNY!" Rodimus shouted.
"Uhm... You sure you aren't gay Rodimus? 'Cause right now you seem gayer than Barricade, Anicon, Lockdown and I put together." Torque giggled.
"I AM NOT GAY!"
"I'll turn you. Eventually." Barricade said, starting his bike. Rodimus' team stared.
"I thought you were joking about your lights being purple..." Arcee said. Barricade grinned.
"Kup made'm purple. I asked why and he still hasn't answered."
"You came out of the closet that day." Kup said, "I figured I'd make it known for you."
"So why are mine pink?" Rodimus asked.
"You called'm a faggot." Kup shrugged. Prowl flinched at the word. "Sorry Prowl."
"You called'm uh..." Jazz looked shocked.
"I know. I'm a horrible person. I was sixteen okay! Obviously I was a little freaked that my room mate was a flamer."
"A what?" Arcee asked. Barricade asked.
"It's a nicer term for fag."
"What's a fa-!" Ratchet covered his daughter's mouth.
"It's a derogatory word for homosexual." He said. Kup laughed.
"Don't ever use the words we use Arcee. They're for old people only."
"Then why does Hot Shot use'm?" Arcee asked.
"It's too late for Hot Shot." Barricade said, "I already got to him."
"Barricade!" Hot Shot blushed furiously. His team stared.
"You're gay?" Rodimus asked.
"Uh-uhm... I-I'm not really sure..."
"You either are or aren't." Barricade frowned.
"I still like girls though!" Hot Shot whined. Kup rolled his eyes.
"Barricade, Rodimus, get on with the bet. The arena's starting to let in the obsessed fans." He said. The two men smirked and mounted their bikes, revving the engines.
"First one back after three rounds with eight tricks, wins." Kup said, standing between them like they normally do during a bet. "Ready!" The engines revved. "Set!" They kicked up the kick stands. "GO!" They were off. As each did their eight tricks, Barricade picked up the speed, Rodimus keeping up fairly easily.
"Whoa... That's so cool!" Arcee cheered.
"It's also dangerous." Kup said, "I only taught them how to ride because they were persistent buggers and slept on the curb the night I told them to go away."
"How come you don't ride anymore?" Arcee asked as Barricade won by two inches.
"Accident." Ratchet answered before Kup could answer.
"Is it one of those things you'll tell me when I'm older?" Arcee asked innocently. Ratchet frowned.
"This is one of those things that is best that you never know the details on." The girl frowned.
"Did he almost die?"
"Arcee I think that's-" Barricade was cut off.
"Yes. I did almost die. If Ratchet hadn't been there, I would have been." Kup replied. Everyone was silent.
"I... I used to watch the races with Lockdown when we just started moving in, but I never saw you get into an accident..." Torque frowned.
"They cut it out."
"It was that bad?" Rodimus frowned.
"Shit... I mean, we knew you almost died but... We didn't think..."
"I got cocky, and I paid the price. That's why I tell you constantly to be careful when you ride. Especially you Barricade. You're a cocky little shit that doesn't know when to be careful." Kup said.
"On a lighter note, I'll wear my helmet this time." Barricade said, "If just to make you feel better." Kup rolled his eyes.
"You should be wearing it anyways." Arcee said. Rodimus laughed.
"Got told by a kid."
"Shut it Hot Rod." Barricade smirked. Rodimus smirked.
"Whatever Blockade."
"God it's been forever since I heard those nicknames..." Kup muttered. The two grinned at eachother.
"Should we?"
"His reputation is already ruined."
"What are you two planning...?"
"Nothing, Kuppy." Barricade grinned. Kup facepalmed.
"I shouldn't have told you about that..."
"You told them about what?"
"Our nicknames. Rather, yours for me."
"What's Daddy's?" Arcee asked.
"You don't need to know Arcee." Ratchet frowned.
"It's Hatchet." Kup said.
"Wait, he's been Hatchet for that long?" Jazz asked, shocked.
"Yes." Kup said, "Got it a few weeks after we started on the road."
"Liars! What is your name for him?" Barricade said. The two students were like children in a candy store. The two seniors deadpanned and walked away, Arcee giggling and following, wishing Barricade luck. Rodimus nodded at him, taking his bike to Kup's pick up truck, and Jazz clapped Barricade on the back, before leading Rodimus' team up to the stands. Torque hugged him, before going to the stands. Lockdown nodded to him, following her. Prowl, Smokescreen, Bluestreak and Anicon were left as more people started filling the stands and other racers entered the back arena with their bikes.
"Be careful Barricade." Bluestreak chirped, hugging his older brother before running off to talk to Lockdown. Prowl hugged him, wishing him luck before following Bluestreak. Smokescreen grinned.
"Welp, Jazz said that Optimus and his team were definitely watching with a few of Bumblebee's and his girlfriend's friends."
"And we're live, here at the Detroit Racing Stadium..." They heard an announcer near them start the cover story.
"Sweet! This'll be fun." Barricade laughed. Smokescreen laughed.
"Be careful Barri, and good luck." The older Atlas said, clapping him on the back.
"Yeah, yeah." Smokescreen nodded to Anicon before leaving. Barricade grinned, and pulled the smaller man into a kiss. Anicon squeaked, both hearing the announcer comment on them kissing, and hearing Rodimus in the crowd shouting at them to get a room, the rest of his friends cat calling. Barricade pulled away, smirking at his boyfriend's blush.
"Get." Anicon nodded weakly, going to Smokescreen, who was waiting for the boy. Barricade rode his bike into the back.
The Project
"Oh... My... God..." Bumblebee said, eyes wide and jaw dropped. Bulkhead was mirroring his expression. Sari giggled.
"Awww..."
"'Awww'! There's no aw about that! That was- was- was-!"
"A shocking PDA..." Bulkhead supplied.
"Ithoughtitwasfunny! !" Blurr laughed.
"That was..." Optimus was at a loss for words.
"Well, Jazz did say that Prowl's friend said that Prowl said that Lockdown said that Barricade was completely out of the closet." Sari said. They stared at her.
"What?"
"She'sgotapointyouknow." Blurr agreed. Bumblebee facepalmed at the Russian Twins laughed and spoke in Russian.
The Arena twenty minutes later; with Kup, Arcee and Ratchet
"Oh wow! That was so cool! That racer all spinny and flipping and ohmygosh!" Arcee squealed as another racer did a standard trick.
"Arcee, how much sugar have you had tonight...?" Ratchet asked, frowning. Arcee shrugged.
"I dunno, but I lost count after Jazz gave me three bags of cotton candy!" Arcee giggled.
"Jazz!" Ratchet was going to go beat the black ninja cop, but Kup stopped him.
"A little sugar won't hurt. And even if she has had too much, it's a learning experience for her that she should limit her sugar intake. I let Barricade and Rodimus down alcohol when they were fourteen and got into my cabinet. Rodimus hasn't drank since. Barricade, however, went nuts when he was 21." Kup said. Ratchet groaned.
"If she's sick for the next two days, I'm killing you after I kill Jazz." Ratchet said. Kup smiled.
"Sure thing Ratchy."
"AWW! Daddy your nickname was Ratchy!"
1) Ratchet used to work for Kup as his personal EMT.
