Authors notes: Please bear in mind that it's early days for Blue and Sunny so they've got a lot to learn about each other. On a personal note thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, you made my day and you'll never know how grateful I am for that.
Chapter 2Casting a critical optic over his handy work Bluestreak decided that his home was tidy enough for guests and checked his chronometer. "Oh slag." He cursed. "I'm gonna be late." He raced out into the street, transformed into his sleek alt mode and headed for the shuttle dock.
A glance up at the info board as he arrived told him that the transport had just landed and in no time at all he caught sight of the two mechs he had come to meet. Both of them waved cheerfully and hurried over to him. Sideswipe clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks for this." He beamed.
"N…no problem." Bluestreak stammered. "If you'd like to follow me."
"Cut it out Blue. You sound like Prowl." Sunstreaker said seriously.
Bluestreak realised that his friend was right; the two mechs hadn't met properly yet but Prowl had been around when they were talking on the comm often enough for Sunstreaker to get a pretty good idea of what he was like. "Sorry." He said softly. "But when I'm nervous I tend to think of how calm he always is and copy that."
"There's no need for you to worry. It's only us." Sideswipe put in.
Sunstreaker put an arm across Bluestreaks shoulders casually and the three of them left the dock. "So where's this gig?" Sunstreaker asked once they had gone a few blocks.
"A bar not far from here." Bluestreak answered. "It isn't the best place in town but it's a long way off the worst."
A few more streets later Bluestreak pushed open the doors to a once grand room, there were mechs and femmes everywhere, some drinking, some talking, some dancing but all of them would look up to the low stage at the far end of the room occasionally with anticipation clear in their optics.
Bluestreak led the twins straight through the crowd, smiled at one of the security mechs who greeted him by name and took them backstage. Jazz turned away from the conversation he was having with another mech almost instantly and grinned.
"Hey Blue."
"Jazz this is Sunstreaker and Sideswipe." Bluestreak introduced.
"Thanks for coming." Jazz said warmly as he shook both their hands.
"Thank you for having us Sir." Sunstreaker returned politely.
"Name's Jazz not Sir but you can call Prowl Sir if you like it makes him feel more at home." Jazz corrected him without missing a beat or sounding too serious. "Speaking of which…" Jazz looked back to the door expectantly and a moment later Prowl walked through it.
"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, it's good to finally meet you." He said jovially before his attention moved to Jazz, their exchange through their bond was brief and made Jazz laugh.
"Sorry to be rude." Jazz apologised still chuckling. "Prowl doesn't often come to places like this and they make him uncomfortable." He explained.
"I think it's time we moved into the bar." Prowl suggested. "Don't want to miss the show do we?" After one last shared moment with Jazz he led the three younger mech back through the door. "Who's drinking what?" He asked.
A few breems later Jazz swept onto the stage with a confident air that Bluestreak couldn't help but admire and the crowd applauded. "Thanks for coming." Jazz beamed. "Let's get this party started shall we?" Without hesitating Jazz launched into his first number and the waiting crowd started to dance.
Bluestreak, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker joined the mass of 'bots on the dance floor while Prowl leant against a wall, his optics never leaving the stage and his foot tapping out the rhythm. Bluestreak had a hard time keeping his optics off Sunstreaker, the mech was a fair dancer but it was the grin on his faceplate that held his attention and made his spark glow.
A few songs later the music slowed down and the couples moved together, Sideswipe rejoined Prowl on the sidelines instantly and Bluestreak was about to follow when Sunstreaker caught his arm. "Dance with me?" He asked just loud enough to be heard and a moment later Bluestreak found himself helpless in Sunstreakers arms.
"I haven't heard this song before." Sunstreaker said softly in his audio as they started to relax.
"Jazz wrote it for me and Prowl a couple of vorns after they adopted me." Bluestreak replied. "He said that he wanted everyone to know how happy we made him."
They didn't speak again, they didn't need to all they had to do was smile at each other and for a time the rest of the world was forgotten about as they moved to the beat.
As the last few notes played the pair drew apart reluctantly, Sunstreaker took Bluestreak by the hand and led him off towards the bar where they ordered drinks and stood close together watching the crowd. "Thank you for this." Sunstreaker said gratefully as he touched Bluestreaks arm. "I've gotta say that I was pretty nervous about coming here but it was worth it."
"Sideswipe's having the time of his life isn't he?" Bluestreak grinned innocently at him.
"He's not the only one." Sunstreaker whispered in his audio.
Bluestreak felt his spark race and his intakes speed up in an attempt to cool his systems. "No he isn't." He confirmed.
All too soon Jazz finished his set and came out to join them, it seemed like everyone wanted to talk to him but he did his best to stay close to Prowl and even managed to get him out onto the floor for a couple of slow numbers. Sideswipe had found himself a femme to dance with and Bluestreak and Sunstreaker were more than happy to be left to themselves.
As the bar started to close the five mechs left together. Jazz and Prowl were hand in hand a few steps ahead of the other three. Sideswipe was babbling happily to anyone he thought was listening about how much fun he'd had while Sunstreaker and Bluestreak walked together and occasionally shared brief moments of contact and grinned at each other.
When they arrived home Sideswipe quickly excused himself by saying. "It's been great but I've had all the soppiness I can stand." And headed to his berth in the spare room with a wink to his twin. Prowl got the rest of them a cup of energon each but took his and Jazz' into their room after saying a cheerful goodnight.
Sunstreaker sat down on the sofa and took a sip of his drink before he turned his attention to Bluestreak. "Can we do this again?" He asked softly.
"Anytime you like." Bluestreak smiled.
Setting down his drink carefully Sunstreaker reached out and drew Bluestreak into his arms and that was where Prowl found them still deep in recharge the following morning. He smiled to himself, sent the image through his bond to Jazz and left for work as quietly as he could.
Bluestreak on-lined sometime later and spent a moment just basking in the warmth of Sunstreakers body next to his.
"Hey there." Said a cheerful voice and Bluestreak opened his optics to find Sideswipes face right infront of his. He jumped in surprise accidentally elbowing Sunstreaker in the chest-plate as he hurried to stand up. Sunstreaker opened his optics with a grunt and glared at both of them taking in his twins mirth and Bluestreaks embarrassment in a micron and correctly guessing what had happened.
"Sides. I'm gonna kick your aft until all your paint falls off." He growled before he leapt to his feet and started to chase his brother around the room.
"Hey now, what's all the fuss for?" Jazz' soothing voice called from the door to his room.
"My slag-head of a brother being a slagging pain in the aft." Sunstreaker snarled. Sideswipe ducked the blow that was aimed for him and dived behind Jazz.
Seeing no way to get at his twin without shoving Jazz out of the way Sunstreaker gave up and returned to Bluestreaks side. "You okay?" he asked keeping all trace of his anger out of his voice.
"Yes…I …no but…" Bluestreak stammered before he gave up and slumped back down onto the couch. Sunstreaker shot one final glare at his brother and knelt down infront of Bluestreak.
"My temper gets the better of me sometimes." Sunstreaker admitted hesitantly as he reached out and touched his arm. Bluestreak flinched but didn't pull away. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to."
"I'm okay Sunny really." Bluestreak murmured.
"Well I don't know about you three but I need a fix." Jazz said firmly. "Sunny would you give me a hand."
"Sure." Replied Sunstreaker and he pushed himself up with on last worried look at Bluestreak.
Sideswipe sauntered up to him as soon as he was clear. "It was a dumb trick." He admitted. "Friends?"
"Never anything else." Bluestreak smiled.
With a glance to check that Sunstreaker and Jazz were still at the energon dispenser Sideswipe sat down and kept his voice low as he said. "Sunny really likes you a lot you know? He won't like me telling you this but the best thing you can do when he gets angry is make him laugh. His temper never last long after that."
Bluestreak nodded but he'd barely heard Sideswipes advice. His processor had picked up the first few words and his spark had raced out of control.
Once they had all finished their energon Sideswipe looked meaningfully at his brother and said. "We'd better head off, it's a long way to Perihex and we both have work to do."
"Don't remind me." Sunstreaker snapped.
Jazz said goodbye to the twins and headed for the wash rack, Sideswipe seemed to take a hint from his brother and once he had shaken Bluestreak by the hand left to wait outside.
Sunstreaker pulled Bluestreak gently into a hug. "We don't need to say goodbye." He said softly. "We'll see each other again soon enough. If that's what you want?"
"It is." Bluestreak whispered and he watched as a slow smile lit Sunstreakers face.
"Good 'cause I've had warnings from both your guardians not to push you too fast." He chuckled. "Jazz wasn't too bad but Prowl… well let's just say it was awkward."
Bluestreak found himself laughing in spite of the disappointment he felt because Sunstreaker was leaving so soon. "I bet it was. They just want what's best for me."
"Hopefully they'll start thinking that I'm that before too long." With a final squeeze Sunstreaker let go, his hands sliding down Bluestreaks arms in reluctance to break contact. "Call me soon." He smiled before he walked out of the door.
A few cycles later Bluestreak returned home to find a message to call back from Sunstreaker waiting for him on the comm-link. He pressed the recall button without hesitation and a few microns later his friend answered. "Hey Blue. How are you?"
"Good thanks, you?"
"Fine but I'm missing a datapad, I've searched everywhere and I was wondering if I left it at your place."
"Here's a few lying about, let me look."
"Thanks Blue, I wouldn't bother you but it's got some stuff on that I need."
"No trouble at all." Bluestreak reassured him as he checked over a small pile on the table. "Not there, hang on there's some more." He quickly looked though another two stacks. "These things get everywhere. Oh there's one." For a long moment he stared at it's contents then sat down heavily on the floor.
Sunstreaker could just about make out that part of the room and called out to him. "Blue? Bluestreak what's wrong? Blue talk to me."
It was the concern in Sunstreakers voice that forced him to focus and pull himself back to his feet. "Blue what is it?" Sunstreaker asked as soon as he could see his face.
"It…it's from Jazz… he's gone." Bluestreak faltered. Jazz had been his main guardian for as long as he could remember and although he had known for sometime that he and Prowl were having problems he had never once thought that something like this could happen.
"What?" Sunstreaker barked. "What do you mean gone?"
"He says that he's sorry but he… he couldn't stay. He says not to worry about him and that he's not joining the Decepticons… Primus how could he even think that we would think that about him? Sunny Prowls gonna be back any micron how on Cybertron can I tell him?"
"Blue calm down." Sunstreaker soothed. "I know that you're a lot braver than you give yourself credit for, you can do this."
Bluestreak bashfully studied his feet for a moment before his head snapped to the door at the sound of Prowl coming in.
"Hey Blue, Sunny." He greeted them without missing a step as he headed towards his office.
"Prowl." Bluestreak called.
"What is it?" Prowl asked suddenly concerned by Bluestreaks stance and tone.
"I found this." Bluestreak held up the datapad.
Recognising the pad as one of Jazz' Prowl took it, read it and walked on without a word.
"So that went well." Sunstreaker said sarcastically.
Bluestreak shot him a slight smile. "I'd better go. I'll talk to you soon Sunny."
"Sooner the better." Sunstreaker signed off leaving Bluestreak alone with his processor racing. He didn't understand how Jazz could just walk out like that and already their home seemed empty without his music or soothing voice.
"Okay. I can do this." He said firmly to himself, he picked up and filled two energon cups and went into Prowls study without knocking.
Prowl was sat at his desk, his head in his hands and slumped miserably in his seat. He didn't look up when Bluestreak entered. "I can't even tell where he is, it feels like he's closed down the bond between us." He admitted in a low voice that shook with emotion. "I can't believe this has happened …" He trailed off as his vocaliser gave up on him.
"Hush now." Bluestreak whispered. "Neither of us saw this coming so please don't blame yourself." He rested his hand on Prowls shoulder.
With a final heave of his intakes Prowl looked up. "I'm gonna ask you to be patient with me now so you don't think you've done something wrong but I need you to understand that I was never much without him and I don't know…"
"I get it." Bluestreak interrupted him. "I know that it won't be easy but we'll find our way through." He gave his guardian a tight hug.
"When did you get so brave Blue?" Prowl whispered.
Bluestreak shrugged as best he could with his arms still around Prowl. "My guardians taught me one thing well and that was that whatever happens when there's someone at you shoulder that loves you anything is possible."
"It's good to know we got something right." Prowl said quietly but his voice wasn't shaking anymore. "Thanks Blue."