Pairing: TFP Arcee/Dreadwing

Rating: General

Details/Themes: Picnic date, fluff

Requested by Lyorofthequill

Dreadwing met her in a patch of royal empress trees, a fitting setting for a peaceful day out together and Arcee's favorite tree on Earth. Locating those trees away from human eyes was hard but the search was well worth it as the expression she wore upon seeing a whole grove of them made him smile. He would do anything for her, to see her happy which is why he also brought Energon along with him. He wanted to make their date as special as she deserved to have from him.

As they sat under the grove, the lavender petals drifting down in the breeze, Dreadwing could only stare at her with awe at how the tree color blended well drifting past her blue scheme and pink highlights. It looked like she was a part of a real-life painting.

When she caught him staring, she giggled, "What?"

"Pardon my outburst but everything around you seems to only enhance your beauty tenfold, and you were already stunning to begin with," the Seeker said.

Arcee blushed as Dreadwing caught a falling empress bloom and set it between her helm and cheek trim. She pushed her cheek into his servo before shifting to sit on his lap resting her helm on his chest. It was Dreadwing's turn to go red, almost spilling his Energon.

The sunset's pink hues made the royal empress grove glow and Arcee's armor did too to Dreadwing's fascination. The reflection of colors danced across her frame like she was a glimmering jewel off a crown.

"How's your Energon?" She asked innocently.

Dreadwing paused then suddenly remembered he was supposed to be drinking his Energon, not balancing it. He took a swig and stuttered, "I-it's fine, good. Thicker than normal. I, uh, may have taken it from Megatron's personal stock. Don't tell him I said that."

Arcee laughed, "I won't. You know, this is one of the nicest views I think I've seen in eons. Thank you for taking me here."

"If you want, we can make this our official hideaway. I heard the spring here is gorgeous," he smirked.

Smiling, Arcee got up and set her Energon down. "Then why don't we enjoy it a bit more up close?"

Confused, Dreadwing was about to speak when she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the other trees. He stumbled when she let go and ran several feet before gesturing for him to follow. He was unsure what she wanted to do until he got close and she sprinted off again. Noticing a pattern of her fleeing form, he caved to the realization that she wanted him to chase her. Game on.

Dreadwing picked up speed and navigated through the trees laughing as her nimble form outpaced him. She had to run out of steam eventually; he would catch her in the end. For nearly ten minutes, it was nothing but her taunting and his determination to win. Normally, he would be displeased when someone gave up the chase early but when she let him catch her and they hit the ground covered lavender petals, he was more than just happy.

He got her on her back while he kept upright and stared again as the petals sprawled on the grove floor warped around her helm like a halo. The pink highlights in her optics glowed around the bright blue in a similar manner. Dreadwing would be lying if he said he wasn't mesmerized by them.

Arcee, being often as mischievous as the opportunity allowed, used his awed silence to immediately steal a quick kiss from him which the Seeker nearly jumped away in surprise, instead only backing slightly and landing in a perplexed sitting position allow her to get up. She giggled and sat on her knees in front of him before taking his servos into hers.

"I take it you liked that," she grinned.

He weakly nodded, optics wide and a lovestruck expression on his faceplates. When she touched noses with him, he almost melted right there and then.

It still amazed Dreadwing how once they were enemies but now, they were a couple. He never expected her to love him and he was unsure if he was capable of giving her what she wanted. Turns out, they both defied logic. Both of them were like the royal empress blossoms, blooming and radiant. That was what he saw their relationship as and what he hoped they could continue to be in the future.

"Of course I did," he tenderly spoke, returning the nuzzling gesture.

AN: Very cute. Given there's not a whole lot of picnic scenarios, I had to improvise it into a fun, fluff-filled time in the grove. I don't know if you guys have ever seen royal empresses but they are gorgeous trees. I think they go by another name too but I can't recall.