Author's note: I don't own the Transformers, just Joey and the plot… but you all know that.

Author's note: This one was teotw's idea. Enjoy!

Ch.10: Volume Control

There are just times when all you want is a nice quiet place to sit and read. Of course, when living with giant aliens, alone-time wasn't always an option, Joey reflected. She had found a corner of an empty table in the rec room and had barely sat down, before Bluestreak and Blurr sat down on either side of her. She peered over her book at them and then resumed her reading.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Are you reading? You're reading aren't you? What are you reading? Is it good? It must be good if you're that far into it. That's like, what, one hundred pages? Am I right? Huh? Huh?" Blurr demanded as he leaned over her.

She felt one eye twitch as she looked up at the blue mech. "Shush," she said.

Bluestreak fidgeted. "Maybe we should go. I think we're bothering Joey."

She shot him a tiny smile.

"We're not bothering her. Why would we be bothering her? Are we bothering you? I'm bored. We should totally do something," Blurr babbled happily.

She sighed and closed her book and set it on the table. "I know a game you two could play."

"Really? What kind of game? Like dodge ball? Is it dodge ball—"

"Nooo," she interrupted loudly. "It's called… the Quiet Game."

Both younglings leaned closer curiously.

She grinned. "It's very simple, really. You two see which of you can keep quiet the longest. Whoever speaks first loses." She peered at them, making sure they were paying attention. "Okay? Starting now."

Blurr smirked. "I'm going to so win this!"

She felt her eye twitch again. "Kudos, there genius. You lose."

Blurr's optics widened. "That's not fair! Do-over! Do-over!"

"Okay. Starting now."

"What were the rules again?" Bluestreak asked quietly and Joey put her face in the palm of her hand.

"You lose," she said.

"Um… can we have another do over?"

"Why not. Okay, go," she said with a sigh.

"Ha! You're going down, you loser!" Blurr declared and he pointed at Bluestreak.

"Blurr?" She called to the blue mech.

"What?" He demanded.

"You lose."

"FRAGGIT! Do over! I wasn't ready yet!"

15 minutes and 78 do-overs later...

Joey rubbed her eyes. She was beginning to realize that Blurr just didn't have the attention span necessary to play that particular game. She smirked to herself. He had gone about two minutes so far.

Plus, they know had spectators. Jazz, Ironhide, and Cliffjumper had all been bored enough to sit down and watch the competition.

"Guess what, Blurr," she said casually, knowing what the youngling would do..

"What?" He asked instantly.

"You lose."

"Fraggit all!" The other mechs burst out laughing at him.

She glanced over at Blue, who was fidgeting unhappily and she took pity on him. "I think I've got a new game if you two are up to it. It's called the Staring Game. First to blink loses, starting now," she said as she walked over to Jazz. "Can you take me to my quarters, please?"

Jazz looked puzzled, but nodded and held out his hand for her to climb on. Behind them, both younglings leaned forward to glare at each other and Blurr yelled, "I've totally got this game!"

Jazz glanced down at her as he walked from the rec room. "You're game has a flaw, lil' lady," he said.

She glanced up innocently. "What's that?"

"Mechs don't blink."

"Oh, that. I know that," she said dismissively.

Realization dawned behind Jazz's visor. "How long do ya reckon it'll take them to figure that out?"

She shrugged. "Long enough for me to finish my book."

Author's note: Next up is: "Torture Songs" such as "Puff the Magic Dragon" for Shimmershadow30. Keep leaving suggestions. I'm having fun with this! ;)