Crack in the Pavement
Chapter 28
I can't believe I've finally written another chapter to this! Primus, it has been a lifetime, hasn't it? Give how terribly long it has been since I have even looked at this fic, it will not be identical to how I first plotted it, but it'll be close. And with any luck it'll be better.
Send me links to songs that you think suit this fic. Nothing. And I mean NOTHING inspires me like music.
Now, let's get on with the fun!
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers; I'm just prostituting it for my amusement.
Summary: Megatron uses Ironhide to get his revenge on Prime. Multiple minor side pairings, see list in fic.
Warning: Graphic rape. Torture. M/M robot slash consensual as well as NON-CON
Pairings: Non-con Megatron/ Ironhide, Con Optimus/ Ironhide. Established Jazz/ Prowl, Twins/ Ratchet, Mirage/ Cliffjumper
Most of the time the Autobots existed under a cloud of tension, awaiting the Decepticons' next move. The Decepticons were an ever-present threat, and they were no doubt always in the midst of some diabolical scheme, but much of the time there was nothing for the Autobots to do but stand back and wait for an attack or for a report of some sort of sabotage. It was eerily calm after the bonding ceremony of Ratchet and the Twins. There were no rumours or hint of Decepticon activity in the human media, and the Autobots' own surveillance showed no activity either.
Any break from battle, and destruction should have been welcome but this quiet, this calm ate at the back of Optimus' processor. He felt a great foreboding that he simply could not ignore or cast off. It was his greatest fear this calm was coming at the expense of Megatron plotting some great scheme to capture Ironhide. Optimus wanted so desperately to keep Ironhide safely tucked away in the Ark but the chances of Ironhide tolerating any kind of restrictions or confinement were non-existent. Ironhide bristled more in response to Ark based duties now then he ever had in the past, and Optimus had no doubt it was in response to his ordeal. In private moments, when not even Ironhide was near, Optimus allowed himself the bitter luxury of guilt. He had never expected Megatron would take that kind of personal vengeance on any of his subordinates, let alone Ironhide. Optimus had underestimated just how twisted and simply evil Megatron had come. Megatron would never be underestimated by Optimus again; he now knew there was no evil the Decepticon was not capable of. That knowledge did not comfort Optimus. There was no keeping the knowledge of Ironhide's sparklet from Megatron forever, possibly not even for much longer. Could Optimus bar Ironhide from the front, for the sake of the sparklet and Ironhide himself, without making him feel like a prisoner? As much as he hated it, Optimus owed Megatron for his current relationship with Ironhide. His sickening assault on Ironhide had broken the barriers of duty and rank and allowed them to admit the feelings they had long harboured for each other. This knowledge made Optimus wish to crumble Megatron into atoms all the more. It also meant that he did not want to risk doing any to push Ironhide away.
It was that concern, specifically the fear of pushing Ironhide away, that had Optimus's spark twisting anxiously. He wanted to bond with Ironhide. The love, protectiveness, and need Optimus felt for Ironhide had illuminated a disgusting truth inside Optimus' processor. Given the opportunity, he would not be willing the change the past, and somehow stop Megatron. The idea of losing Ironhide was unthinkable. Possessiveness made Optimus's spark spin faster. No, Ironhide was his. There was no going back. How would Ironhide react to those treacherous thoughts? With disgust, with betrayal? That fear held Optimus back from asking Ironhide to bond. They had been involved for such a short time, not even a blink of an optic in the lifespan of a Cybertronian, and yet Optimus knew there could be no one else for him in this life or the next. But bonding connected Cybertronians in such a way that is was it was more likely that not that Ironhide would see those thoughts, and Optimus feared that he would lose everything that had come to matter to him in that cruel moment. Fear, as a rule, never stopped Optimus from stepping forward, and from doing what needed to be done. Except for in this one frustrating situation where he found himself simply frozen in place.
Optimus was fretting over something; Ironhide was certain of it. Moreover, he was certain it had to do with him. It wasn't all that appealing a thought in a lot of ways. Oh sure, he liked, really liked, meaning enough to Optimus to have processor all tied up on him. Except Ironhide didn't like fretting. He didn't like doing it, and he didn't like anyone doing it about him. When he caught Optimus' optics when Optimus was fretting like this Ironhide didn't particularly like what he saw, fear, and shame. Now he wasn't an expert at relationships, or even dealing with folks in general but Ironhide was no idiot. This was about them. Well slag, that was a grand prospect. They were going to have to have a "talk." Ironhide suspected that he was about as thrilled with the idea as Optimus would no doubt be. No matter. The fact was, Ironhide knew his Prime better that Optimus probably expected. It was not Ironhide that had shame in Optimus's optics. They'd shared sparks too many times now. Ironhide would have felt it. Actually, Ironhide had an inkling what Optimus wanted, and Optimus being Optimus, too noble and self-sacrificing for either of their good, wasn't going to ask it of him. That was fine and dandy, he didn't need to ask.
It really wasn't hard for Ironhide to get Optimus alone. He considered waiting until they were about to recharge but Ironhide's carrier, when he was a youngling, had taught him never to go to his berth and recharge angry. It was a lesson he had never forgotten. Perhaps it was the power of a carrier, even after living for millenia after millenia, the lessons she had taught him were the ones that stuck with Ironhide. As a youngling, she had told him to live simply and to avoid the tangle of "things." Through her example, she had taught him to cherish people over power, and rank. That lesson in particular had led him to quit the army and to take work in private security. It had kept him by Optimus' side when the newly minted Prime faced subterfuge, rebellion, war, and exile.
As Ironhide mulled over how best to handle Optimus, he considered the lasting influence his carrier had had on his life. Before too long Ironhide would have his own sparkling in his hands. It was a powerful thought, and he wondered if his sparkling would take to his lessons as he had his carrier's. The one lesson Ironhide had never properly grasped was that of patience. His carrier had been a calm, and patient femme, well able to stay grounded even has her bondmate (a soldier and Ironhide's younglinghood hero) and sparkling created chaos in their shared whirl of energy. Ironhide had his sire's patience, that was minimal. It was Ironhide's lack of patience that led him to confront Optimus as they took their midday rations in their berthroom.
"Why don'tcha just ask me what ya want?" Ironhide asked before he even touched his cube.
"Ironhide..." Optimus stumbled over his words. Slag, Ironhide had always been too perceptive of him.
"Sometimes, Optimus, yer slagging frustration," Ironhide said, without venom. "I can't say no to anythin' if ya never ask! How is this gonna work if yer afraid to ask me for anythin'?"
"I can't ask it of you," Optimus replied. Ironhide knew what he wanted, Optimus realized instantly. Say no... Suddenly Optimus was mortally afraid that Ironhide did not want that bond with him. His nagging fear of those thoughts coming out into light was muted by the fear of absolute rejection. It was Optimus's good fortune that Ironhide was no sadist, and seeing the panic and fear in Optimus' optics, Ironhide quelled Optimus's fears with a simple, yet processor-numbing gesture. He opened his spark chamber and looked Optimus dead on.
"I want to bond with ya," Ironhide said. "No pomp, no ceremony, no media circus, just you, me, and the sparklet."
"Ironhide," Optimus stammered, truly speechless. He couldn't think. Everything, truly everything he wanted in this life was laid bare in front of him and he couldn't even speak. Optimus stared for several minutes. Ironhide watched him patiently, just a slight smirked formed on his face and Optimus looked down at his own chassis. There was his own spark. Without conscious thought he had opened his spark casing.
"You may not like what you see," Optimus said at long last, slowly drawing Ironhide closer to him. Face to face, spark to spark. Neither moved, and neither engaged the bonding programming for a long moment.
"I'll take ya anyways," Ironhide replied. Simutaeously they engaged their individual bonding protocals and their sparks flew forward in their casings and merged together with a monumental serge of energy. Both mechs overloaded in the storm of emotion and thought.
When they came down from the overload and regained thought, Ironhide was sprawled over Optimus, their sparks still merged, and their sparklet dancing around the merged spark. What Optimus had feared, Ironhide now knew. The red mech sighed and tilted his helm to look at Optimus's faceplates. His optics were dim as he watched his new bondmate. He felt, as much as he saw Optimus' worry, and doubt, and in turn Ironhide knew Optimus felt his limitless love, and his own personal truth.
"I couldn't change anything either, Optimus," Ironhide said in a low voice. "I couldn't give up the sparklet. And I couldn't give up you."
Optimus sighed himself and wrapped his arms around Ironhide as their sparks separated and returned to their chambers. He shuttered his optics and let himself feel Ironhide through their fresh bond. It was just like Ironhide to know what Optimus wanted, or needed. It was either a blessing from Primus, or unmitigated luck Ironhide wanted, and, yes needed, the same thing.
They didn't have long to bask in the new bond. Duty called and Optimus and Ironhide made their way to the War Room where an officers' meeting was soon to start. As usual, Prowl was there, well before the meeting was actually to start. This was exactly what Optimus had planned for.
"Good afternoon, Sir, Ironhide," Prowl greeted them with the stiff formality Jazz was still trying to teach him out of. On duty, one would never guess that Prowl actually liked either his commander, or Ironhide. Off duty he was reserved but friendly. It was almost the difference between the sun and the moon.
"Good afternoon, Prowl," Optimus replied, he felt, by Primus he felt, Ironhide chuckle over the bond. Prowl was not going to be having a good day after this. "Ironhide and I have bonded. We thought you would want to know immediately so you could... Plan accordingly."
"Sorry, Prowl," Ironhide said, barely suppressing his mirth. Prowl twitched but didn't crash, a small miracle.
"Yes, sir, thank you," Prowl almost stammered. Already calculations where rushing through his battle computer at full force. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. We'll be back shortly, for the meeting," Optimus said and he and Ironhide left Prowl to stew over this new information.
"I woulda bet that he was gonna crash," Ironhide chuckled as the door slid shut behind them. "Poor Prowl. I think we ruined his week."
A short time later, Jazz entered the War Room, with two cubes in hand, knowing would skip the midday break to prepare for the meeting. He found Prowl in the same spot, and position, Optimus and Ironhide had left him in. Having sensed Prowl's "distress" on his way to the War Room, Jazz knew immediately what to do. He put down the cubes and rubbed his digits slowly down the centre of Prowl's back, between his door wings. Prowl sagged just slightly and looked at his bondmate; Jazz had come to kind that this trick worked almost every time when Prowl got a little lost in his processor.
"What's got ya in a knot, Sweetspark?" Jazz asked, still stroking Prowl's back.
"Optimus and Ironhide have bonded," Prowl replied stiffly. Jazz raised his optic ridges smiled, first, and almost immediately frowned.
"You're going to be locked in your office for the next week, aren't you?" He said with a knowing sigh.
"I need to rework every strategy," Prowl replied with a great deal of weight.
"Do you really have that many strategies stashed away in your processor?" Jazz asked, pushing a cube into Prowl's hands.
"I've worked out more than a thousand strategies to various potential Decepticon activities," Prowl said. Though he had not been able to predict or prepare for the results Ironhide's capture, he had been preparing countless strategies to not just prevent Ironhide's recapture but how to best retrieve him before further harm could be done. "I have several strategies prepared for the end game."
Jazz couldn't help but smiled softly at his bondmate. That was Prowl for you. Primus how he loved the over-thinking mech. He drained his cube and kissed the side of Prowl's helm before saying:
"Don't think I won't drag you out of your office when you need to come out. Even if you've got your peds dug in."
"I don't doubt that you will," Prowl replied, smiling, just a little, himself.
Whatever Megatron was planning, he was not sharing it with his underlings. The Nemesis was eerily quiet, and the air was tense. Megtron split his time before in his throne, staring at the view screen on the command deck, or locked in his War Room. It had been this way since Soundwave had informed him that the human media had announced the bonding between the Autobot medic and the Lamborghinis. The news had not gone over well. Megatron had raged at Soundwave's incompetence. How had he not known that this had been in the works before the ceremony had taken place. It would have been the perfect time for an attack! There had been no point in Soundwave defending himself from his Leader's tirade. He taken the abuse with his usual expressionless mask.
Having listened to the media reports, Soundwave knew that the humans had only known of the ceremony the day it had happened, some sort of government leak as there had been human leaders in attendance. Megatron had most certainly heard that information being relayed by the "anchor" but it was irrelevant.
Soundwave felt keenly aware that he was walking a fine line with Megatron. He could not afford to fail the Decepticon Leader again or there could be painful, even fatal consequences. The Autobots had vastly strengthened the Arc's security protocols, as such Soundwave doubted he would be able to hacked their communication systems, or get himself into the Arc. It was still possible that Ravage would be able to sneak in but that was only a temporary solution, and using Ravage to gain information with such methods was best saved for when they needed information on specific Autobot activities. A better plan would be to hack the human satellite systems and their telecommunication grids, unlike the Autobots, their security systems should be easy to hack. It was a perfect, and perhaps brilliant plot; Soundwave would soon be back in Megatron's favour and he and his Casseticons would once again be secure. Provided, of course, that Starscream didn't manage to interfere.
End Chapter 28.
Author's note: There you have it, an update over a year in the making. I'm working on chapter 29 as we speak. The goal is to offer you all one chapter a week. I hope you enjoyed the chapter well enough. It's the first thing I'm written in ages so the dialogue is a little forced.
