Starcrossed 21: Breaking Down
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Prowl accepted being the center of attention as he walked into the precinct with both sparklings in tow and on their best manners. Word had gotten around that he was going to do so, but it still earned him a few sympathetic looks as he guided his creations towards the archives deep inside the building.
"Why didn't Carrier come with us?" Sideswipe asked in a loud whisper from where he was perched on Prowl's shoulder, holding onto his neck.
"He's looking for work today," Prowl said gently. "I think he needs a bit of a break. He is quite young."
"A break from us?" Sunstreaker asked, looking up at Prowl.
"From the responsibility of caring for you," Prowl gentled the truth without denying it. "It's more stressful for him than either of us anticipated."
"Are we in trouble?" Sideswipe asked, and Prowl could just *feel* the sparkling drooping.
"No, little one," Prowl stopped and trilled gently. He knelt so he could be optic level with both of them. "You are not in trouble. You are with me because I love all three of you dearly. We could have gotten someone else to watch you, but we don't want that."
They nodded in unison and Sunstreaker jumped up to wrap his arms around Prowl's neck. "We would rather be with you, too," he said, nuzzling him.
"Yes," Sideswipe chirped. "And if we are here with you, Carrier will be happier when we get home?"
"I hope so," Prowl nuzzled them both. "Even if he's not, *I* will get to enjoy some more time with you," he smiled, his field warm and honest as he stood to guide them into the lift that would take them to the archives where he worked.
"Can we help you work?" Sunstreaker asked as the lift opened, following Prowl out, having to take three steps for every one of Prowl's, even as slowed down as they were.
"Yes," Prowl smiled. "I also brought some games for you, and blankets for a nap."
"I expect more visitors today than I usually see in a vorn," Longsight chuckled from the primary workstation. "It'll be nice to have sparklings around again. I miss mine."
Sideswipe ran over to the chief archivist and tried to climb up on his chair. "Where did they go?" he asked as Longsight helped him up into his lap, completely at ease with the mech he'd only met once before.
"They grew up and moved out to have their own lives and families," Longsight told him easily as he noted Prowl settling down to work at his typical lightning fast pace with a rapt Sunstreaker as audience, though not without the occasional sideways glance at his brother. "Creations don't stay at home forever."
"But I don't want to not live with my creators," Sideswipe said, and there was an answering hum of agreement from Sunstreaker.
"It will be a long time before that happens," Longsight assured him. "And you might be more ready than you think by the time it happens."
"You have centuries before that's even an option," Prowl added quietly. He could easily do his job and keep tabs on the conversation. "Much will change in that time. Though I hope you will remain fond of us no matter where you are."
"Of course we will," Sunstreaker said, nuzzling his creator, happily curled up against his plating and watching the screens.
A few kliks passed by in silence while the sparklings watched the adults work, before Sideswipe chirped, "I'm bored."
"What would you like to play?" Prowl asked easily with a look towards the red sparkling.
"Toss!" Sideswipe said, climbing up on Longsight's shoulder and looking eagerly at Prowl.
"It must be a game that does not require my hands," Prowl corrected his offer.
Sideswipe pouted for a moment, getting himself a chuckle from Longsight as he teeked the sparkling's sulking field, then reconsidered. "Do you have the racing game?" he asked.
"Of course," Prowl took it from subspace and offered it to the red sparkling.
The next six joors went much like that, the pair occasionally asking for another game, or getting a snack, or asking questions or chasing each other around and climbing on the stacks of datapads and evidence stored in the archive. It was nearly lunch when Prowl suddenly lurched from his chair and all but flung himself halfway across the room to catch a falling Sideswipe before he was damaged by the floor.
It left Prowl on his back, clutching the red sparkling tightly and fighting the dizzying sensation of scraped doorwings.
Longsight spun in his chair, startled from his work, and stared, then looked up to see what Sideswipe could have possibly launched himself from and saw a timid Sunstreaker peeking down from behind some boxes on the top shelf. "Good catch," he said dryly.
Sideswipe squirmed. "You're holding too tight!" he complained, completely unfazed by the fall or how close he'd come to being damaged, if he even realized at all.
"You scared me," Prowl countered as he forced himself to let go of the squirming sparkling. "You could have been badly damaged."
"How?" Sideswipe asked, sitting on Prowl's chest.
"A fall from several times your height will damage you," Prowl explained, not trying to get up.
Sunstreaker finished climbing the rest of the way down the structure of the shelving that Sideswipe had launched himself from, presumably trying to reach the lighting fixture in the middle of the ceiling and ran over, climbed up on Prowl's chest, and started running his hands all over Sideswipe's armor, checking for injury himself, scowling.
Sideswipe mostly ignored him, looking up at the height he'd jumped from. "How badly damaged from that distance?"
"Badly enough for an emergency run to the hospital, and likely you'd have to stay there for a while," Prowl told him, not yet protesting his position.
"So from half that height...?" the sparkling asked tentatively, and Prowl could just about hear his processors running through developing risk protocols as they received the hypothetical data.
"Relative to your current height, you could be badly damaged," Prowl told him.
"How high can I jump from and not be damaged?" Sideswipe asked as Sunstreaker settled next to him, also curious to know.
Prowl had to pause to answer that. The calculations were all but instant, but translating them to something his very young sparkling could understand took a bit more doing. Sideswipe wasn't yet at the point where giving him the formulas and variables would do much good.
"In your current frame, you can jump from twice your height with minimal risk. Three times if you can be sure of landing on your pedes. Four with a soft landing. Past that you risk too much damage."
Both sparklings nodded as he spoke, processing and carefully not looking at each other though Prowl was sure they were talking.
"Don't tell them that," Longsight chuckled, having turned around by now to watch, and caught their attention. "You want to know how high you can jump from?" he asked, and they both nodded.
Longsight stood and held his arm straight up, hand flat. "Do this."
With a dubious glance at each other, they obeyed.
"That is how high you can jump from," Longsight told them.
He got matching scowls in return. "That is less than what Carrier told us," Sunstreaker said as Sideswipe nodded in agreement.
Prowl, too, was looking at the older and much more experienced creator curiously.
"That is because your creator thinks that you will use good sense when you are playing," Longsight told them, and stood to help Prowl up to his pedes by shooing the sparklings off his chest. "But I know that you will find the very most you are told is safe and go just a *little* more than that. So the rule is, no matter how tall you are, your hand is as high as you can jump from."
"We jump from our berth all the time and it is taller than that," Sideswipe informed him.
Longsight chuckled. "It isn't a perfect rule. Just meant to keep adventurous sparklings safe and creators' lives easier."
"I like Carrier's rule better," Sunstreaker said.
"Longsight's makes more sense," Prowl decided. "It is the standing rule. Do not jump from any higher than your shoulder."
He was immediately faced with all the indignant devastation that two sparklings' faces could manage.
"You may use the more complicated risk assessment formula I use when your processors are mature enough to utilize it," Prowl gave a little.
The twins glanced at each other for a split moment, then smiled with perfect obedient innocence up at him. "Yes, Carrier," Sunstreaker said, while Sideswipe tugged at his arm, eager to keep playing, since the new rule didn't seem to affect allowed climbing height.
Longsight smiled at them, then looked back at Prowl and gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to ruin sparkling days. That was my carrier's rule and it didn't keep any of mine out of the air for long, but it works for a little while."
"I don't mind," Prowl said as he watched the pair climb. "I don't expect it'll work on them long either. Did yours have an airframe creator?"
Longsight gave him a startled look. "Yes," he said. "Does Sunstreaker?"
"Sideswipe," Prowl said. "Though I don't know what kind. This isn't his first time trying to fly."
Longsight hummed as he looked up at the pair. "Spark influence from the sire," he said. "My last had it the worst, stuck in a grounder frame and always wanting to be in the air." He chuckled to himself. "Thankfully by then we had stopped being worried about every leap they took. Primus, if he'd been the first, he would have been the last."
"How did he adapt, if he has?" Prowl asked with keen interest for anything that might help his creation be happy as they went back to their workstations.
Longsight made a sound that was caught halfway between amusement and exasperation. "Took up with a shuttle, of all things. D'you have any idea how hard it is to host for a shuttle? They're huge!" He paused, sighed, and then there was a smile in his voice. "Makes him happy, though."
"It's all I really want for them," Prowl glanced at the climbing sparklings. "If they're happy, the rest can be dealt with."
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It felt *so good* to move again, Jazz thought as he spun around his dance partner, barely paying attention to him, the music, or the audience. It had taken some time to get used to the doorwings, but once he'd integrated them into the motion scripts, dancing had become easy and carefree and *freeing*. All he wanted to focus on was the feeling of his frame dipping and winding in time with the low, thrumming beat, and what it meant to be doing something he *loved*.
Instead of...
He shook his head sharply, refocusing. He loved his twins. Their twins. More than anything, but he just couldn't deny how much better he felt now that he was spending more time away from them.
It was because he was tired, he assured himself. He was tired and dancing and the crowd and the way it felt to be *looked* at energized him. And Prowl loved spending time with their creations, it was a better situation for everybody.
There had been some orns when he hadn't thought he could continue much longer. Apparently he wasn't as made out to be a creator as he'd always been led to believe. Some bit of coding hadn't gotten passed on correctly, perhaps, but a little time away from home on his own, bringing in income and loving what he was doing was going to fix that. He was going to love his twins and watch them grow and spend the rest of his life with Prowl.
The song ended and Jazz carefully righted his partner, who he'd dipped back, and bowed to the crowd. It was a small club, with a fee to even get inside, and it was respectable and clean and he was making a good income for what he was doing. And true to Mortar's word, there were always Enforcers around or near the building when he was on shift. He, like Engineer had, protected his own, and that included those important to them.
And tonight, on top of that, Radiance was sitting in the audience, watching him with that glittering gold visor, dark face tipped invitingly up and a small predatory smile on his lips.
Jazz was able to ignore it-mostly, the mech was a looker-until he finished with his set and walked backstage to slip out the side exit and into the audience, going over to the SWAT commander's table and sliding into the empty chair.
"So you're my sparkling sitter for the night, hm?" Jazz teased.
"I doubt you need much protecting," Radiance grinned at him and waved for another drink. "Not with the way you move. I thought so before, but now I'm sure you've had some good, practical combat training. Though you did learn to dance first."
"You can tell that?" Jazz asked, grinning back, relaxing in his seat and turning to look up at the dancers still on stage. "I guess that shouldn't surprise me."
"My survival does require I can judge a fight well," Radiance chuckled as the drink was delivered and he slid it over to Jazz. "Your mate's better than you, I expect, though not by much."
Jazz nodded once, lifting the cube up for a deep swallow, sighing contentedly as he immediately felt the high grade start to buzz through his systems. "He's been practicing longer," he said, leaning back and shuttering his optics.
"Are you still practicing?" Radiance asked. An innocent question that could imply so much that was not innocent.
"With Pantera, when we can," Jazz said, then smiled sardonically. "When we're not too tired."
"Which is not often, I expect," Radiance chuckled deeply. "Sparklings are their own workout. Enjoying the escape?"
"So much," Jazz admitted. "And I know Pantera is enjoying to spend more time with them."
"It sounds like a good arrangement then," Radiance smiled at him, relaxed and enjoying the show. "Is this what you want to do, when they're old enough for you to work full-time again?"
Jazz shrugged a little. "Probably. Comes naturally, I enjoy it... I really don't know what else I'd do, I can't say I have any real useful skills."
"Really?" Radiance's surprise was genuine. "Disowned, then?" he asked gently.
Jazz flashed a grin at him. "There is a fine line between being disowned and running away before they get a chance to kick you out."
"Order of paperwork versus leaving," the SWAT commander nodded. "I'm sure you could learn any number of occupations. As Pantera has said, you're young. A couple centuries for the sparklings to grow up, and you'll be able to do most anything that appeals to you for a function."
"Likely so," Jazz hummed, watching the dancers. "I saw some acrobat performers once, it might take centuries to get as good as they were but it looked amazing."
"I've watched a few shows, they're impressive," Radiance readily admitted to the truth. "I'm good, but even I was left stunned at some of the moves. It really is amazing to witness what ground-frames are capable of with training and some mods."
"You have any mods like that?" Jazz asked, glancing over. "How do they work?"
"I don't know all the mods they use, though I'm sure mag systems are a major one," Radiance shrugged and lifted a hand. Jazz suddenly felt a strong pull towards it. "I have mag generators in my hands and pedes. Got them as part of SWAT upgrades so I can climb buildings without equipment. They're useful for disarming mecha too," he grinned devilishly.
Jazz grinned back. "I'll bet you're good at disarming in more than once sense."
"I do have a reputation for it," Radiance purred, teasing and flirtatious, but not serious. Oh, he'd take this pretty creature to his berth if invited, but he wasn't about to try. "You know you could have any mecha here, if you wanted."
"And I'll bet you could tell me how they all are before I even got to them," Jazz teased, raising his glass to the visored mech before tilting his head back to swallow what remained. "Have anything besides the mag systems?"
"Nothing else quite as versatile," Radiance grinned, not denying or confirming the statement of his range of experience. "Sensors, armor, reflexes. Useful on the job. Not nearly as entertaining off it."
"Stick with the mag systems for a pick-up," Jazz agreed. "Much more exotic sounding."
"They're *very* useful in the berth too," Radiance purred. "Especially if your lover is all tense."
Jazz grinned, set his empty cube aside to be picked up, and didn't comment to that. "How'd you get into SWAT?"
"I was aiming for SWAT since I was a mechling," the CO said. "I went to the academy, graduated with good scores, went on patrol and was a good Enforcer. I showed myself to be a level processor under fire and a leader. I made a point of learning new weapons, spending extra time on the range, extra time in classes from engineering to psychology, and having that in my records. Eventually I was invited in and the real training began."
"And you did well, apparently," Jazz said, looking him up and down without bothering to hide his enjoyment of the dark frame. "What about this?" he asked, leaning over and brushing the side of Radiance's face where the visor seemed to hook in. "Is this SWAT, too?"
"This one is, but I've always liked wearing one. Two of my creators had them."
Jazz hummed. "It looks good on you," he said. "It replaces the optic systems? Enhances them?"
"One of my creators had it as a replacement, but most are either decorative or enhancements," Radiance said easily, signaling for another round for them both. "This one's an enhancement," he added as it lifted to reveal matching yellow optics.
"Very pretty," Jazz purred, then chuckled. "I'd say you shouldn't hide them, but then you wouldn't have the visor, and that would be a shame."
"It definitely would be," Radiance agreed as the visor slid back down and their cubes arrived. "You'd look rather dashing with a visor you know."
"You think?" Jazz asked, nodding in thanks to the server as he accepted his. "Maybe someday if I ever get the mods for acrobatics."
"Yes, especially as a dancer. A mirrored visor would add a bit of mystery to your routine," he actually trilled in appreciation of the mental image. "They aren't expensive if it's only decorative. But then, I'm partial to them," he tapped his own.
"I'll keep that in mind," Jazz purred with an appreciative trill of his own as he settled back to return his gaze towards the dancers.
"So other than stressed out trying to care for two young sparklings, how are things with you and Pantera?" Radiance asked politely, though he really did want to know.
Jazz glanced at him. "If you're asking because I'm flirting with you, you should know the only thing keeping me from asking you into our berth is the sparklings." He smiled. "Things are good, things are perfect, he's perfect."
Radiance grinned and sipped his drink. "Nice to know, though I was asking because trouble at home ends up being trouble at work. There is support if you need it. Young creators, a new couple with two new sparklings ... well, we're kinda expecting trouble of the kind that can he headed off."
Jazz nodded. "Pantera and I are fine. I'm just..." He paused, searching for the right words. "A little overwhelmed by the pair, they energize each other. This is helping."
"Good," Radiance reached out and squeezed Jazz's shoulder. "Just remember that you aren't in this alone anymore. There are plenty of mecha who would be delighted to look after the pair for a while so you can have time with your mate."
Jazz's gaze flickered for a moment. "Maybe," he said. "Neither of us is fond of the idea of them being with anyone else... maybe that will relax in time." He took another sip of high grade and glanced at his chronometer. "I should head home as soon as I finish this."
"They're less than a vorn old, Saxo," Radiance said gently. "Totally normal to be hyper-protective, and to be worn out. Are you sure you're good to drive?"
"I'm good," Jazz said, and let his engines purr. "Though if I'm ever not, I promise I will let the gorgeous Enforcer know so he can escort me home safely."
"Maybe I'll just tail you home anyway, just to watch that pretty aft a bit longer," Radiance flirted back, teasing. He paused for a moment, visor glittering mischievously. "Do you ever dance just for Pantera?"
"As often as I can and whenever he asks me," Jazz grinned, and let his voice slip down in pitch. "Though they wouldn't allow the kind of dancing I do for him in here."
"I bet you don't get to finish a dance very often," Radiance's engine rumbled deeply. "Ever tied him to the berth so he has to watch all the way through?"
"Nah," Jazz said. "He stays when he's told. I'm usually the one who can't get all the way through a dance." He finished his drink and stood, tilting his head curiously at the other mech. "Gonna stay and watch or tail me?"
"Mmm, I think I'm going to enjoy my door fee in full," Radiance grinned at him. "I'm sure you know your way home."
Jazz smiled and dipped his head in agreement. "And I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself," he purred, waved in farewell, and wove his way through the audience to head back.
He was expecting to find Prowl still getting the sparklings ready for their nightly recharge, and was pleasantly surprised to open the door and see all three of them on their lounge, the twins curled in Prowl's lap as he read to them, voice low and smooth. They lifted their heads at the sound of the door opening and Prowl paused and helped them down so they could run over to greet Jazz. He knelt down and scooped the two up into a tight hug against his chest, feeling a strange mix of unsettled and joyful to have them in his arms. "Hello, my loves," he murmured, nuzzling them.
They nuzzled back, and then when Jazz didn't let go, started squirming. "Carrier!" Sideswipe protested.
Jazz startled and immediately let them go, and they ran back to Prowl, who helped them back into his lap. Jazz followed and leaned over to kiss his mate in welcome. That welcome was far warmer, and included a hand around the back of his helm to extend the kiss far longer than a simple greeting as Prowl's engine gave a rev of welcome.
Jazz's purred in response as he shifted and settled himself down next to his mate and leaned against him. "What are you reading tonight?" he asked.
"Primus and Unicron," Sunstreaker said, and looked expectantly up at Prowl.
"They were never this good for me," Jazz asked with a soft smile.
Sunstreaker looked up at him. "Pantera makes us behave."
"It's a skill," Prowl said gently with another soft kiss.
Jazz hummed. "One I am very glad you have, among others." He looked down when Sideswipe poked at him and the sparkling held his hand up to indicate that silence was desired, then turned back to the datapad that Prowl was holding. Jazz raised an optic ridge and looked at his mate, amused.
Prowl simply chuckled before he resumed the story of the creation of Cybertron from Primus's chassis and how Unicron was banished to the far side of the universe when he lost the battle that cost Primus so much. It was a story Jazz was long familiar with, though it occurred to him that if Prowl had been the one to tell him he would have paid better attention. He certainly was now.
When the legend was completed, Prowl turned off the datapad. "It is time for recharge."
And to Jazz's amazement, the pair only pouted at Prowl for a moment, and when his mate simply looked back, they sighed, hugged both of them, and got up to climb into their berth themselves.
Jazz stared. ::If I hadn't just seen that myself, I would never believe it.::
::Discipline is a skill, love,:: Prowl kissed him softly before standing and drawing Jazz against him. ::How was work?::
::One I apparently do not have,:: Jazz said ruefully. ::I tell them time for recharge and they ask for one more game and somehow I get drawn into it with absolutely no memory of how. Work was wonderful. And Radiance was watching today. He is a vision,:: Jazz purred.
::You didn't have enough time as a youngster yourself,:: Prowl held him close. ::I'll try to show you how to control them. Mostly it's that trick of not getting drawn into the game or story, and careful application of ignoring them. Radiance was a vision, now? Should I be concerned that I'm no longer satisfactory in the berth?:: he teased.
::All *you* need to be concerned with is making sure your equipment doesn't wear out with how often I want to enjoy your satisfaction,:: Jazz said, pressing their helms together. ::Please, *please* tell me you are in a mood that I can spike you senseless.::
"Oh, most definitely," Prowl's high engine rev added confirmation as he drew Jazz into their berthroom. "Any and every way you want me. Just tell me what would please you the most."
Jazz pushed him towards the berth as soon as they were through the door, engines rumbling deeply. "You, on your back, spread so shamelessly wide it would make a pleasurebot blush," he purred in a low voice, optics darkening.
Prowl moaned at the words and complied as he laid down and spread his legs apart. His valve cover slid open and he slid his arms up over his helm. "Take me, fill me, use me for your pleasure, my love," he purred, arching his frame seductively as he looked with arousal brightened optics and heated desire as his valve began to lubricate.
"Always," Jazz moaned as he climbed over him and sank in, shuddering from the burst of *hot-tight-movement* that flooded over his sensor net. "Always, my love."