Cybertronian time references similar but not equal to our own: astrosecond ~ second, klick ~ minute, joor ~ hour, cycle ~ day, deca-cycle ~ week, orn ~ month, vorn ~ year

A/N: Continued fic from prompts 15 & 17. This takes place well into Prowl and Jazz's future. So sorry, no sparkling cuteness in this fic. However, if persuaded I may do a fic showing them as they grow up in connection to prompts 15, 17 and this one.

Day 27: "I didn't expect you to take it literally!"

Prowl burst through the front door of his parent's domicile and he tore up the stairs and through the hallways into his old room, ignoring his parent's calls. His vents and leg joints burned from the exertion it took to run from the Academy all the way home. His spark ached so bad that it made his tank churn and seemed on the verge of ejecting its contents. His winglets trembled and shook lying flat on his back.

He felt like his life was unraveling and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Prowl?" Barricade called softly from the doorway. "Son, please, I can feel the turmoil in your spark."

"Sweet spark," Pantera said, her voice full of worry. "Please, talk to us. We've been worried for a joor now. Your roommate said you packed up your things and left when we called."

The bag Prowl's been carrying fell to the floor as he burst into tears. His parent's arms were around him in an astrosecond. Waves of comforting love and reassurance flowed over their family bond. Prowl continually cried on his mother's shoulder as they all sat down together on his old berth.

"What happened, my son?" Barricade asked, wiping Prowl's tears away.

"Jazz and I had a fight," Prowl sniffled. "A bad one. Worse than usual."

"Did you hit him or did he hit you first?" Barricade asked, the back of his finger caressing the bruised dent on Prowl's nose plating.

"I would never raise a hand to him no matter how angry he made me!"

"Prowl…"

"No, Tera. Let Prowl finish," Barricade insisted. "Start from the beginning, son. Earlier in the cycle I felt this joy I'd never felt from you before."

Prowl sniffled, wiping his tears away and took a few moments to gather himself.

"I asked Jazz to bond with me. I thought he was ready. I felt confident he loved me enough to want what I wanted. I guess I was wrong. He said I was suffocating him, not giving him his freedom. I always respected him. I often let him go out with his friends to go to those dance clubs he loves while I stayed and studied. If he was late meeting with me I never got mad. That was just Jazz being Jazz. Punctuality doesn't exist in Jazz's world."

Prowl paused, tears building back up and falling fast.

"I got mad. Told him to stop being so selfish. I asked him what the frag he was afraid of and told him to grow up. He punched me in the face. He said he didn't want to see me again…ever."

"So you just quit and walked away?" Pantera asked.

"You weren't there mother!" Prowl yelled, jerking away from his parent's arms. "You didn't see the look on his face or hear the tone of his voice! He said he never wanted to see me again. EVER!"

"Prowl, calm down right now," Barricade calmly said, rising to his feet.

"I just have to get out of here," Prowl wept. "It hurts too much to be here. Everything here reminds me of him. I just can't be here any longer. Please, let me go. I just came here to pack a few things and to tell you I was leaving."

"Go where?" Pantera asked concerned. "For how long?"

"Tera, no. Prowl's right. He needs to get away. It's time he and Jazz need some space. I know it's not our place to interfere in their personal lives but sometimes taking a step away opens the optics up, you see things more clearly."

"But…"

"Trust me love and have no fear. Prowl is our son. He'll go to Praxus," Barricade answered. "Smokescreen and Blue are there. Plus, I still know a few mechs from the service there, all of whom I've been in contact ever since we moved to Polyhex. A few of them have retired and moved on to new careers. I'm positive one of them will have a job waiting for you. Just give me a few klicks to make the arrangements."

"Father, I can find my own way."

"I know you can," Barricade smiled, caressing Prowl's helm. "You've always been so determined, so strong, so independent. You've always known what you wanted to do, more so than your brothers. Please, allow the old mech this one luxury for his youngest sparked."

"Very well, father," Prowl smiled, humbly bowing his head.

"I'll be right back," Barricade said, kissing his son's helm before he left.

"I'll help you pack," Pantera smiled warmly, picking up Prowl's bag off the floor.

"Mother…" Prowl said, feeling as if his spark was breaking. He could feel his mother's fear for him, her love for him. He knew she was going to be the hardest thing to leave behind but he couldn't go without telling her how much he loved her and was grateful for everything she'd ever done for him.

"Your father's right about you," she smiled, smoothing tender fingers over his bright red chevron. Prowl purred contently, remembering how she often soothed him in such a manner whenever he was upset. "You were always so shy when you were little. As your mother its hard to let go of that. I was always your protector when you were afraid or when you were upset and in tears. Then you met Jazz and you found your way, found your own confidence as you grew up. I was so proud to watch you grow up into the young mech you are this cycle. And I will still be proud of you no matter what the future holds."

"Thanks, mother," Prowl said, hugging his mother close, resting his helm on top of hers. "If it's any consolation…you are still my protector. What happened this cycle was proof. I knew I could come home for yours and father's help. I couldn't leave you without an explanation or without telling you how much you mean to me."

"And we are always glad to help our sons," she smiled, caressing his strong facial features.

"Everything's settled," Barricade said, stepping back into the room. "Smokey and Blue will pick you up at the transport station in Praxus. Smokey says he has a spare room and that you can stay with him until you get your peds under you. Apparently, Blue could use some help at the store he runs. It's quite popular from what I understand but he was never good with figures and calculations. No pressure only if you want to or for ever how long you feel is necessary."

"When does he leave?" Pantera asked.

"The next transport for Praxus leaves in a joor."

"Then let's get him packed. I want to see my youngest son off before his trip."

"As do I my love, as do I," Barricade said, pulling both Prowl and Pantera into a hug.

Fifteen klicks later the family left the domicile and headed to the transport station. Prowl remained quiet, solemn. He grew up here in Polyhex. There was no denying that he was going to miss the city. He was going to miss his parents, his friends.

It's just that his emotions were too raw, every street corner, energon shop, entertainment club reminded Prowl of Jazz. They have been in each other's lives one way or another ever since that cycle they'd met on the beach. Friends as close as brothers, always there looking out for each other, always there to lend a servo when the other needed it.

When they were younger it was always Jazz who protected Prowl, especially at school. Because of Prowl's doorwings he got picked on and teased often. But Prowl had always known that if he and Jazz were together they could accomplish anything.

Then as they became teenagers Prowl sprouted, growing to be taller and bigger than Jazz, he became Jazz's protector. No one picked on him anymore because he gave as good as he got. And Jazz was always at his side, cheering him on.

It was after one particularly bad fight Jazz had gotten into while at school. Prowl had been talking adamantly with one of his professors when the fight broke out. Only by the time he realized what was going on it was too late. Jazz had been injured badly.

It was a pivotal moment in Prowl's life. The moment he realized he was in love with his best friend. As he carried Jazz's injured and unconscious body to the school's infirmary Prowl swore he'd do his best to protect Jazz better.

Ever the observant one, Jazz noticed the change in Prowl and questioned him about it. Prowl being an honest mech, spoke from his spark despite his fear of possibly pushing Jazz away. To his surprise, his feelings were reciprocated. Jazz was just too afraid of acting on them when he realized he was in love with Prowl.

Neither wanted to lose their friendship.

Prowl could sometimes feel their first kiss when he replayed the memory of him and Jazz under the stars that night they'd talked their feelings. He could still smile at how nervous and scared they both were when they interfaced for the first time ever. Luckily for them, Jazz's parents had gone out of town giving them the privacy and time. Prowl could still laugh at the memory of that shocked look on Jazz's faceplates when he had a hard time cleaning up all the stains the lubricant left on his parents berth.

The relationship wasn't rock solid like their parents. After all, they were still so young. Some cycles it was volatile. They'd have heated arguments or the silliest of things. Prowl could swear Jazz enjoyed making Prowl mad just so when they got back together, forgiving each other with their kisses and passionate interfacing. Prowl would be one of the first to admit that make up interfacing was some of the best for him. His emotions flowed more freely.

No matter how pissed at each other they got they always found that middle ground and got back together.

But now Prowl didn't see how to fix this problem. It hurt his spark so much to think of a life without Jazz.

"There's your transport," Barricade said, putting an arm around Prowl's shoulders, pulling him out of his reminiscing. "I will always be proud of the things you do my son. Always."

"Thanks father," Prowl smiled, standing optic to optic with the one mech he loved more than his brothers and Jazz. It was difficult to not cry when he own father had tears in his optics. "I'm going to miss you and mother so much."

"It's time for you to live your own life, Prowl," Pantera smiled through her tears. "One cycle even have a family of your own."

"Your mother is obsessed with wanting grandsparklings," Barricade smirked.

Prowl nervously laughed.

"Here, take this."

"Father, I have my own credits."

"I know. Save your credits for when you find a place of your own."

"Very well," Prowl smiled, lips trembling as the tears started falling fast. "Father…I…there are no words."

"Sometimes we don't need words. I feel your love in my spark, Prowl. That is all I need."

"We both do," Pantera added, joining in the hug. "Take care. Call us when you arrive."

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us. You can even call me when I'm at work if it's so important. I always have time for my sons."

"Thank you father. I will. Good bye."

"Good bye," his mother wept, reluctantly letting him go.

For the first time in so long, Prowl was scared. That shy little sparkling almost made him turn back and run into his parents arms. The mech in him won out, opting for a window seat where he could wave at his parents, smiling through his tears.

Three cycles later…

Jazz was going nuts.

He blew off his classes for the cycle to look for Prowl. He hadn't seen the Praxian in three cycles on campus. Not that, that was anything to worry about. After all, they'd gone longer apart after a fight. Jazz knew to give the mech some space but still they'd at least spot each every so often until one of them swallowed their pride and apologized.

Only Jazz had a queasy feeling in his tanks. His spark ached over what he said and twisted with guilt every time he replayed the argument over in his processor. He knew he was in the wrong and he knew he was the one to have to apologize first. But it was hard to do when he couldn't find the mech!

Finally Jazz had enough and just went over and waited outside Prowl's dormitory room until he or his roommate returned. Jazz lived off campus with a few friends and tried to get Prowl to move in with him. Only Prowl was stubborn and had study habits that he couldn't follow in such an uncontrolled environment. Besides, it was nice whenever Jazz wanted some quiet time he'd spend the night with Prowl in his dorm room.

After waiting half a cycle, it was Prowl's roommate that showed up first.

"Hey Jazz, what's up?"

"Not much. I was just waitin' for Prowl. Have ya seen 'im? We had a fight a few cycles ago. Ya know how it is between us. I gotta let 'im cool of sometimes. But we need to set thin's right."

"You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Jazz, Prowl dropped out of school and quit his job. Last I saw him he'd just finished packing his things and then left after saying goodbye."

"Oh," Jazz gasped and his tank plummeted to his ankles. "Thanks, mech."

"You don't look so good. Are you going to be alright?"

Jazz staggered down the hallway, tank rumbling, spark twisting with guilt. What had he done? More importantly, where did Prowl go? At least that answer was simple - home.

Jazz took off running. Once outside he transformed and raced through campus. His engine revved as high as it could go and didn't care if he was going to exhaust himself. He had to get back home. Or to Prowl's home which was next door to his parent's house.

Both homes were like his home and Prowl's. Not a cycle went by where they weren't together in one domicile or the other while growing up. Jazz couldn't think of a cycle where Prowl wasn't in his life. Prowl was his life. And in a moment of stupidity Jazz threw that life away.

Jazz prayed that he could fix it. He couldn't imagine his life without Prowl.

So, the first door Jazz ran to was 'Cade and Tera's domicile.

All for not. The door was locked. The lights were off save the outside light. Which meant that Prowl's parents weren't home.

Desperate tears streamed down Jazz's faceplates as he hurried over to his parent's home.

"Mama! Papa!" he called.

"In here, Jazz," his mother's voice sang out from the kitchen.

Jazz rushed, stumbling slightly from his frantic peds.

"Primus, Jazz!" Downshift exclaimed being the first to spot his son's disheveled state.

"Jazz, sweet spark, what happened?" Sonata asked, quickly talking her youngest sparked into her arms.

.

"Mama, papa…I…I really fragged up," Jazz choked and sobbed. "I said somethin' I regret an' now he's gone. I can't find 'im anywhere!"

"Who's gone?" she asked. "What happened?"

"Prowl. He dropped out of school an' quit his job! He's gone!"

"Deep breaths, Jazz," his father said, rubbing Jazz's sensory horn. "Relax. Then tell us from the beginning'. What'd ya fight about this time?"

Jazz vented a shuttering breath, doing his best to relax. It helped that father rubbed one of his horns. Mother used to always do that whenever he got overly excited and upset.

"Three cycles ago, Prowl came over, said he had somethin' important to talk about. When he showed up he had the biggest grin on his faceplates I'd ever seen. It was kind o' scary. Then he surprised me wit' a gift…a bondin' gift. He asked me to bond wit' 'im. I wasn't expectin' that an' I kind o' didn't answer right way. He asked me again an' I…I overreacted. He got mad at me told me to stop bein' so selfish. I got mad back. We got into this full blown argument. I punched 'im in the face an' told 'im I never wanted to see 'im again. But it's not true. I love 'im. Now he's gone and I don't know what to do!"

"You have to tell him how you feel, baby," Sonata said, wiping his tears away.

"How can I when I can't even find 'im? I don't even know where he went," Jazz sniffled, leaning into his mother's arms.

"'Cade gave me this for when ya came to yar senses," Downshift said putting a data card and data file on the table. "It's the address where Prowl's stayin' an' a ticket for the transport."

Jazz grabbed the ticket and read the destination.

"Praxus?" Jazz asked.

"He was sparked there," Shift said. "'Cade said, Smokey an' Blue are lookin' after 'im."

"How do ya know all this?" Jazz asked, stunned.

"Because Prowl came to us and in the traditional Praxian courtship manners asked us for permission if he could bond with you. He even gave us an official Praxian bonding gift that he hand crafted himself just like the one he crafted for you," Sonata explained.

Jazz grabbed his chest. His guilt increased exponentially upon hearing that Prowl actually crafted the bonding gift. Jazz knew Prowl too well. Whenever it was something extremely important to Prowl he poured all of his love and devotion into something.

"I had my reservations but he was so sincere about his love for ya that I was touched," Shift continued. "I couldn't say no. So we gave 'im our blessin'"

"Which I pissed away," Jazz spat.

"Jazz, ya're young. Ya're gonna make mistakes. A mech is not measured by the mistakes he makes. He's measure by how he deals wit' those mistakes an' moves on. Jazz, ya're my son. Ya're a fighter. Ya always go after what ya want and take it. But ya also react on ya emotions just like yar mother," Shift smirked.

"Thanks, papa. I know what I gotta do."

"Better hurry, next transport for Praxus leaves in twenty klicks," his father smiled.

Less than three klicks later, Jazz had packed a bag, kissed his parents goodbye, and was racing to the transport station. He barely made it. But Jazz was not to be denied. He knew exactly what he had to do to set things right.

Several joors later…Praxus…

Prowl laid on his berth staring out the window as the two moons were now high in the night sky. Once again, his spark was restless. He couldn't recharge. The fourth cycle since he and Jazz last saw each other was coming up and Prowl still missed the mech. His touch. His smile. His laugh. The little jokes that made Prowl laugh.

Smokey and Blue did their best to cheer him up. But nothing could lift Prowl's depression. Nothing could replace the void that Jazz once filled. Still, Prowl appreciated everything his brothers did for him. They allowed him to tell them in his own time what'd happened. Even jokingly offered to beat some sense into Jazz for blowing the best thing he had.

A heavy sigh escaped him. He knew he couldn't be idle for too much longer. He had some important decisions to make about his life here in Praxus. He even met a few of father's friends. After hearing them talk Prowl was seriously considering enrolling at the Enforcer's Academy where his father had attended.

The apartment's door chime suddenly sounded interrupting Prowl's thoughts.

He remained motionless on his berth. Smokescreen was still up playing card games with his friends. Even Bluestreak was playing although he didn't seem to have the gambling knack that Smokey had. But then Blue had enough sense to know when to stop before he lost too many credits.

"What the slag are you doing here?"

"I know he's here, Smokey. I gotta talk to him. Please!"

Prowl sat up recognizing Jazz's voice.

"I don't think I want you talking to my little brother! Get out!"

"Smokey, don't!" Bluestreak yelled.

Prowl jumped to his peds when he heard the commotion of mechs yelling and furniture getting shoved around. He arrived in the main living room of Smokey's apartment just as his eldest brother threw a hard fist at Jazz's face, cracking the smaller mech's visor. The visor dimmed and sparked, making Jazz cry out in pain as he frantically yanked it off.

"Enough!" Prowl snapped, his doorwing rising to make himself appear bigger or bigger than he already was as he had matured to be taller than both his brothers. "Blue, grab Jazz's bag, take it to my room. Someone, get the medical kit please."

"Prowl, he doesn't deserve…"

"It's not your call to make, Smokey. Jazz came here to talk and I will let him. I'm very interested to hear what he has to say," Prowl coolly said, moving into the room. He stared down everyone for a moment before moving to kneel before Jazz. "Take my arm, Jazz."

Jazz's dimmed optics shifted, looking for where Prowl's arm would be. Prowl helped by slipping his forearm under Jazz's hand. Then he helped the small mech to his peds and led him out of the room.

"Ok, Prowl. I even put a medical kit on your bed," Bluestreak smiled. "Anything else, enegon perhaps."

"Thanks Blue," Prowl acknowledged. "We'll be fine. I'll see you in the morning."

'Good luck, brother,' Blue said over their bond.

Prowl nodded at Blue before shutting the door.

"Prowl…I…" Jazz started.

"Let me tend to your injury first and then we'll talk," Prowl said, helping Jazz sit on the berth. "Let me see your visor. Hmm…I'm afraid it's beyond my ability to repair. You didn't happen to pack your spare did you?"

"I was kind of in a rush. Bu Mama made sure I had what I needed before I left."

"Ah, there's hope yet," Prowl said, opening one of the side compartments of Jazz's bag. "She packed it. I swear Jazz there are times your head would be lost if it wasn't attached to your neck. Now, keep your head still while I apply some ointment to the burn."

"Is it bad?"

"No. Your self repair systems should take care of it in no time."

Jazz hissed when Prowl carefully applied the ointment.

"Ow mech!"

"Stop being a sparkling."

"Are ya done yet? It fraggin stings."

"Yes, I'm done," Prowl replied, putting Jazz's spare visor in the mech's hand. Then he moved across the room and sat in the chair there, watching as Jazz put his visor on. Prowl waited until it flashed on before he spoke. "So, I'm listening."

"Yar mad at me. I can tell. An' ya have every right to be. I deserve it. But why'd ya have to come all the way to Praxus?"

"You said you never wanted to see me again. So I left," Prowl replied calmly, shrugging a shoulder.

"I didn't expect you to take it literally!"

"How the frag was I supposed to take it, Jazz!" Prowl yelled getting to his feet, doorwings flared out. "You punched me in the face. Broke my nose plating and yelled that you didn't want to see me again…EVER!"

"I didn't mean it, Prowler," Jazz wept.

"Then why'd you say it?"

"Because ya scared the slag out of me!" Jazz screamed, standing before the Praxian. "I wasn't expectin' ya to ask me to bond wit' ya an' it terrified me. I know the kind of mech ya are Prowl. Ya don't make hasty decisions. Ya think things through before ya act. So I knew how much askin' me to bond with ya meant to ya."

"Why didn't you just tell me all this before?" Prowl asked, taking hold of Jazz's hand.

"Come on mech, ya know me," Jazz smirked through his tears. "When do I not overreact to things?"

"I was expecting an overreaction, just not the one that happened."

"I'm sorry, babe," Jazz whispered, caressing Prowl's face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drive ya away. I didn't mean to hurt yar feelin's like that. It made me sick to my tank when I couldn't find ya. I knew I fragged up an' wanted to make it right. An' now I'm here, to tell you I'm sorry and that I love ya so much. Ya're my life. I don't wanna lose ya."

"Jazz," Prowl whimpered, wrapping his arms around the smaller mech, burying his face in Jazz's neck. "I love you so much too. I can't imagine my life without you either."

"I thought really hard about what I really want on the transport over here," Jazz seriously said, taking Prowl's face in his hands. "I know what I want. I wanna bond with ya."

Prowl felt his spark skip a pulse.

"You mean that?" Prowl hesitantly asked.

"Yes, I do. Let's do it right now."

"What?" Prowl exclaimed, doorwings trembling with fright.

Jazz laughed, "Gotcha!"

"You aft."

"Ya should have seen that look on yar faceplates!" Jazz continued laughing.

Prowl growled, tackling Jazz onto the berth, pinning the mech down with his weight.

"It's my turn to apologize," he seriously said, caressing Jazz's sensory horn. "I too said some things I didn't mean. I know you are a mature mech who at times just chooses not to be when the moment warrants it. I pray you never lose that gift Jazz for making mechs and femmes laugh…for making me take a step back and not take things too seriously as I tend to do."

"Hmm," Jazz moaned, leaning into Prowl's affections. "I can do that. As long as ya continue to keep me grounded when I overreact."

"I can do that," Prowl mumbled as he kissed Jazz fully on the lips.

"Ya think ya brothers would mind if I got a li'l noisy while yar bangin' my bolts like there's no tomorrow?"

"They're not going to have a choice. I locked the door," Prowl smirked. "It's encrypted. Only I know the code."

"That's my Prowler, always thinkin' ahead."

The End