Hi everyone! Sorry for not updating yesterday, but I got stuck on this chap! This chapter is a little short, just warning you! From now on, chapters will probably take longer for me to write, sorry 'bout that x.x
So, lots of you have been saying you want me to take a friendship approach between Jack and Lockdown, so this chapter is turning the story in that direction. Sorry, no major torture here! But don't worry, I'm sure something will happen in later chapters XD
So, please review, especially if you have any ideas for the story, so that I can avoid writersblock! Some of you have wanted Jack to become Cybertronian, but I'm afraid that probably won't happen x.x sorry!
Anyway, please enjoy this chapter! Review! Fav! Follow!
ENJOY!
The forest was silent, the human and mech staring at each other.
Then the mech's hand squeezed.
All of the air left Jack quickly, and he struggled to breathe, but he couldn't.
Spots danced through his vision, and Jack could feel his ribs creak under the pressure. It hurt so much.
There was a small pop, then a crack, and Jack screamed in pain as the grip relented. Two ribs had splintered with ease under the mech's grip. He took the chance, though, to breathe. Each intake of air made his side burn. As he dragged in air, Lockdown shoved the human into his subspace.
Jack yelped as he tumbled in, the quickly sat up. The subspace shut tightly, and the teen pounded his fists on the metal.
"Hey! Let me out! Let me-!"
Seatbelts snapped out, seizing the teen's wrists. Jack struggled against them, but more came out, wrapping tightly around him. He screamed when they squeezed tightly around his torso, making his broken ribs protest fiercely. One off the seatbelts gagged him ceasing his loud yelling.
The entire subspace shook as the bounty hunter began walking. Jack continued to struggle, but it was no use. If anything, it only made the seatbelts hold tighter.
Soon, the mech stopped, and dread settled in the pit of Jack's stomach. This was it. He was dead meat.
The subspace opened and a large hand reached in, pulling the teen out. Jack squeezed his eyes shut, hoping Lockdown would just get it over with...
But nothing happened. The mech didn't even twitch, or say a word. Jack hesitantly peeked up at the hunter.
Bright red optics bore into him, seeming to try and see into his very soul. Jack flinched slightly as the optics narrowed into a glare.
"I warned ya, didn' I?" The mech muttered. "D'ya not have ears 'r somethin'?"
Jack didn't reply, and the mech jostled him a little.
"Well?" Lockdown barked, making the teen wince. "Answer me!"
Jack still said nothing, head ducked and hair hiding his eyes. He could feel tears trying to escape. But not because of his broken ribs. He'd been so close, he'd almost done it! But now...Now he was as good as dead.
Growling, Lockdown turned, slamming the small human down on the work bench. Jack gasped as his head hit the metal table, spots dancing across his vision. His side burned and the teen felt blood trickle down the back of his head.
"I asked ya a question! An' I swear, if ya don' answer it-!"
"You'll what?" Jack snapped, voice hoarse. "'Kill me'? 'Break my legs'? You've said that all before, so just fragging do it!"
The mech looked taken aback. His optics then narrowed.
"Wha'?"
"You've threatened me constantly, you obviously hate me, so just get it over with, dammit!"
Silence fell, Lockdown's optics wide in surprise. The human didn't care anymore. Didn't care if he died...Was he really so bad?
Lockdown suddenly felt something warm and sticky coat his fingers and glanced away from the teen's face.
Blood.
"Scrap!" Lockdown hissed, releasing Jack and quickly going to a shelf, rummaging quickly through it in search of the human medical kit he'd gotten. He may have threatened to hurt Jack, but...now that he saw how sad and vulnerable Jack was? How defeated the youngling acted? He...He didn't like it. Not at all.
Returning to the workbench, he summoned his holoform. The human projection then quickly strode over to Jack, sitting on his knee's beside the shaking, bleeding teen.
When one of the holoforms hands touched his arm, Jack grabbed the wrist, holding onto it with a death grip. His eyes were shut tightly, and Lockdown could see Jack was biting his lip to keep himself from vocalizing his pain.
Lockdown let the teen hold onto the one hand, using his other to carefully moved the teen over and check his head.
A large gash was there, hidden under Jack's raven hair. His head had been cracked when it hit the metal table so hard. It was a wonder that he was even conscious.
"Scrap..." Lockdown whispered again, free hand moving to his head. He'd really screwed up this time. He wanted the teen to listen, not...not this!
With a sigh, Lockdown gently touched Jack's arm.
"C'mon kid. I need ya t' let go so I can take care of yer head."
When he got no reaction, Lockdown groaned. Alright, now wasn't the time to be gruff. The only other route was to be a softie.
Just fragging great.
"Jus' leggo fer a klick, a'right? C'mon, it's okay, yeah? I won't punish ya, al'righ'?"
The teen flinched, and Lockdown grimaced. Wrong choice of words. He scooped up the teen, and a short cry of pain left Jack as the mech settled him in his lap. The holoform managed to coax Jack's hands off his wrist and instead onto the fabric of his shirt.
"There ya go, jus' hold on t' tha'."
The hologorm gently prodded at the teen's wound, and earned a hiss of pain. Jack's hands tightened and the youth curled slightly.
"Easy there, eaaaasssyy there." Lockdown said softly, hand going to the back of the teen's neck and rubbing there soothingly.
No reply, not that Lockdown thought he'd get one. As he worked on cleaning the cut, the mech tried to wrap his head around what was going on. Why did he feel so guilty? He'd hunted down hundreds of mechs and femme's, never feeling a twinge of regret. Yet this young human brought feelings of pure regret to him in waves.
Why?
When Jack woke, he was surprised to find his head cleaned up, his torso wrapped tightly in linen bandages and he wore clean clothes. He lay still for a long moment. When had he fallen asleep?
Finding he couldn't really remember, he slowly sat up. His side ached in protest, but he ignored it. Looking around, he jumped in surprise.
He was sitting in Lockdown's palm, the mech deep in recharge as he held the young human securely.
The bounty hunter stirred at Jack's movements, then yawned widely, blinking a few times. His gaze shifted to Jack, and he then grinned crookedly.
"Hey kid. Yer head feelin' alrigh'?"
Jack nervously nodded, shoulders hitched high and tense. Lockdown noticed this and chuckled.
"Relax kid. No punishment. This time, at least."
"'This time'?" Jack parroted. Lockdown chuckled.
"Yeah. Knowin' you, you'll be tryin' t' escape again later. Don' give me tha' look, I know ya better than ya'd think."
"I highly doubt it." Jack muttered, rubbing gingerly at his ribs. He winced when they stung at his gentle touch.
"I wouldn' do tha'." Lockdown stated. "Both yer ribs're broken in a few places."
Jack nodded curtly, not replying.
With a sigh, Lockdown stood, making Jack start a bit.
"A'right kid. Time fer a heart-t'-spark 'ere."
The mech went to the workbench, setting the teen down there. The hunter then crouched down with a grunt, head just above the teen's height.
"Look, I know ya really don' like me, or bein' here, but th' fact of it all is I brought ya here fer a reason, an' that's 'cause I've taken a real likin' t' ya. If ya didn' try an' escape all th' time, I wouldn' hurt ya. Despite what'cha may think, I don' wanna hurt ya. Yer differen', an' I like tha'. If I remember righ', you were sayin' no one had any time fer ya any more, an' I'm more observant than ya'd think, 'cause I say how sad ya were when you talked about them."
The mech gently poked Jack with a finger. The teen winced a bit as his ribs stung slightly.
"So why don' ya jus' look at it my way? I'm gonna be 'ere fer ya more than they ever were. I'm done givin' ya chances fer now. I rigged tha'," He tapped the metal around Jack's neck. "T' give ya a nasty shock if ya take a even a single step outta th' ship. You be good, and I might take ya t' places wit' me later, but if ya ain' good? Then I'm gonna be hookin' ya t' a leash, got it?"
Jack scowled, looking away and glaring at a wall. But the mech simply raised a brow expectantly.
With a sigh, Jack gave a short nod.
"Fine."
A crooked grin came to Lockdown's face.
"Good. Now, c'mere."
The hunter wrapped a hand carefully around the teen, bringing him closer. Reaching into his subspace, Lockdown pulled out a chain. Jack squirmed and struggled, but it was fruitless, and the mech hooked the chain to the metal about the teen's neck.
"I said I wouldn' punish ya this time. But this technically ain' punishment."
Lockdown took the other end of the chain, wrapping it securely around a metal support beam of a shelf. He gave it an experimental tug, and when it didn't snap or come undone, he nodded.
"This should hold ya. Now stay 'ere, I gotta go get some human med supplies fer yer ribs an' head."
Jack scowled, tugging at the chain angrily for a moment.
"Fragger!" He spat. Lockdown smirked.
"An' proud of it, kid."
Jack sat at the back of the workbench, leaning against the wall it was pushed against. A book was in his lap.
The past week had him and Lockdown fall into a pattern. Each morning, Lockdown and Jack would wake, the mech having Jack sleep on his chasis now to keep a good eye- er, optic, on the teen. Then, while Jack ate, Lockdown would search for energon signals. After, Lockdown would put the teen on his 'leash', before leaving to find some energon. For a good three or so hours, Jack would stay there, reading, until Lockdown would return. The hunter, seeming to realize Jack would be bored, always would bring a new book for the teen to read. Then Jack would eat lunch, before Lockdown would make him unknot his wiring, or, on occasion, polish his plating. After, Lockdown would set Jack on his shoulder, and sit at the main console, where he would amuse himself with the human internet (Jack would always roll his eyes). Then Jack would eat his dinner, then it was time for bed.
And it was a pattern that seemed to work. Jack, ribs still mending, didn't attempt escape (the idea of having the daylights shocked out of him when leaving was also a very good reason to stay). The most he could do, really, to show how much he disliked the mech, was by cursing the hunter. Many times, Lockdown wondered just how many cuss words Jack knew, for the young human never seemed to run out of new ones.
At the moment, Jack was finishing his breakfast and getting ready to change into some clean clothes. Lockdown gave him privacy, at least, when it came to changing clothes. Something Jack was grateful for. He didn't know what he'd do if the mech saw him naked. The idea wasn't a pleasant one. The hunter would no doubt be amused by how many scars the teen had, probably tell jack just how pathetic-
"Ya done, kid?"
Jack was shaken from his thoughts and looked up.
"Uh, yeah. I'm good."
Lockdown turned around.
"Good. Jeez, ya human's an' yer damn modesty..."
Jack scowled.
"It's called having self-respect!" He snapped in reply, glaring defiantly.
Snorting, the mech picked up the teen.
"Yeahyeahyeah. We'll have ta work on tha'."
Jack frowned.
"How about no?" He stated dryly.
Lockdown merely grinned.
"An' which of us is th' master an' which one's th' pet?"
Jack growled, pounding his fist lightly on the metal hand that held him.
"Don't call me that!"
The hunter tapped the metal collar around the teen's neck.
"As long as yer wearin' tha', I can call ya whate'er I wan'."
Jack was surprised when Lockdown didn't reach for the now familiar chain, and instead walked out of the room.
"Aren't you going to look for energon?"
"I am. Ya've been pretty good, so I thought ya'd wanna come wit' me t'day. Wha', ya wanna stay 'ere?"
"No!" Jack quickly yelped. "I-I didn't say that!"
The mech chuckled.
"Thought so."
The mech paused by a panel, typing something into it. Jack screamed as the mech tossed him into the air. The sound of shifting metal came, and Jack landed in a car moments before the car's roof descended overhead.
Jack found himself sitting in a sleek black car with bright green flame decals.
"Comfy kid?" Lockdown's voice asked from all around. Jack hesitantly nodded.
"Uh, yeah..."
A chuckle came, the cars engine revving.
"Let's get goin' then."
The car tore out of the ship, and Jack was relieved when no electrical shock came. It seemed that the collar's shock mod had been dissabled for the time being.
Jack glanced at the door's subtly, cursing silently when he saw them locked. It seemed the bounty hunter had thought ahead in advance.
"Ya like music, kid?"
Jack shrugged.
"I...I guess."
"Good t' know."
The radio came alive, 'Monster' by Skillet blaring. Jack jumped, the volume surprising him, and the speakers turned down a bit.
"Sorry kid, didn' know th' volume was up."
Jack merely shrugged again.
"It's fine." He muttered, staring out the window. He hoped the 'bots would see him in the car, maybe passing by on a road. But is seemed too much like a far off dream.