Well, well, well...look what we have here...it's an update! *looks around* yeah, so this one hasn't been getting as much updates as my other story, Reach Out. Probs cuz these are all complete, one-shots, and my audience isn't as big as my other story.
Anyways! I was flipping through Christina's album the other day and came across this particular song. The general feeling of the song reminded me of how Mirage must feel everytime that he has to go on missions. And I know that in the song, it compares how Christina's current lover at the time didn't say these words, but I decided to cut that out, just cuz I could. :/)
I also did a little something new...some of the lines of the song I put into dialogue in the story part of the fic. I italicized them for clarity, but Mirage and Hound aren't singing, just talking...they just happen to be lines from the song.
So, without further ado, here's the next installment of "Thousand Years to Love You"
Miles by Christina Perri
I'm scared today,
More than I told you I was yesterday,
Give me a moment to catch my breath,
And hold me every second left.
Today was the day. Mirage had been selected to, along with Jazz, go deep into enemy territory, deeper than they had ever gone before. Their goal was to get intel, sabotage any and all "under-construction" projects that the 'Con's had going. This mission was scheduled to last around 5 Earth months, foreboding any unforeseen complications. Mirage had been honored when he had recieved the news from Prime. That original feeling fled as soon as he realized what this mission implied; he would be leaving his bonded, Hound, for 5 Earth months. The fear that he held froze his spark, but Hound had kept the feeling at bay, filling his lover's mind with nothing but the positive.
That happened all in the past week. Now, at 5 a.m. earth time, Mirage was scared even more so by the eminent departure. They were scheduled to leave at around noon, local time. Seven hours may seem a lot for the locals, but to Mirage, it seemed as if it was nothing more than the shutter of an optic. Anxiety, fear, and desperation bled through the bond, and Hound awoke to his lover curled in a ball, on the farthest side of the berth.
Snapping to attention, Hound moved closer to his mate, wrapping an arm around him. "It's the mission, isn't it?" he gently questioned.
"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you. Just...go back to recharge, Hound," Mirage replied. Hound sighed; even now, when he still had several hours left, Mirage wanted to separate them. Ignoring his bonded's request, he lifted the slighter spy onto his lap, sitting up fully, and just held him close.
"You'll be fine Mirage. I trust in that, and so do Prime and Prowl. They wouldn't have selected you if you hadn't been good enough, nor if the plan had a high percent chance of failure." Hound assured his lover.
Proud of me,
That's the only way I want you to be,
Look at me and love what you see.
Letting his guard fall for a moment, Mirage rolled his helm under his lover's chin, before letting out a small whine. He wanted to make Hound proud of him, to be able to get intel that may be able to finally end this Primus-foresaken war. He wanted to be able to walk the halls without getting jeers from some of the less accepting members of the Ark, calling him a Decepticon sympathizer, just because he wanted to go home. Even though Hound had assured him time and time again that he wouldn't fall under the influence of their comments, Mirage still had some doubts that he would love him, regardless of his current social status. His upbringing dictated that how people on the outside saw you was what counted most; after all, not a lot of nobles bonded for love. Everything they did held public and monetary value; even with sparkmates.
Whispering to his bonded, Mirage finally told him, "I won't make it alone, I need something to hold." Curling in closer to his bonded, he desperately clutched at the plating, breathing in the unique scent that was Hound. He wanted the war to end, but he also didn't want to leave his bonded for such a long time. Granted, 5 months was nothing to his people, but his bond with Hound was pretty new; only around two years. This would be the longest they would be separated thus far. So far, the record was 1 month; that paled in comparison to this. The idea of the long separation stretched out before Mirage like a canyon, making him even more fearful.
Kiss me on my shoulder,
Tell me it's not over,
I promise to always come home to you.
Remind me that I'm older,
To be brave, smart, sweet, and bolder
And don't give up on what we're trying to do;
Don't count the miles,
Count the "I love you's"
Pressing his lips to Mirage's shoulder struts, Hound gently mouthed up his lover's neck cabling, down his jawline, and finally to his lips. The noble always tasted good, but this time the taste was slightly tainted with the bitterness of goodbye. Through the bond, Hound could sense the fear that his lover was trying so desperately to hide from him; that this would be the last time that they could be like this, that he wouldn't make it, that he would be abandoned during that time. Then came a feeling of helplessness. Pulling away, he looked into his lovers half-shuttered golden optics.
"I feel as if I'm letting you down by just thinking about you leaving me. I just...can't help it. I was raised to believe that love was a frivolous thing, to not believe in it..." Mirage faded off at the incredulous look in Hound's optics.
"This will never be over, Mirage. I love you and that is never, ever going to change. You are older than when you started; you have the skills necessary. Even if the mission goes awry, the most important thing to me is your safety. I want you to be safe, to be healthy. You are amazing just as you are; I don't care what the others say. I love you, Mirage," Hound concluded, before sealing the deal with a loving kiss.
We made it out,
And all the other people are asking how.
This doesn't even sound like truth,
To grow from a bruise.
The mission was a hard one, for both parties involved. The Decepticons had brought Shockwave down, temporarily to Earth to oversee some changes that were being done to "spy-proof" the base. Instead of being a major deterrent, it just was a minor setback in Jazz and Mirage's plans. Or, so they thought. They got in okay; it was getting out that was difficult.
Soundwave's cassets were prowling the base, and Ravage and Lazerbeak caught sight of Jazz. Following him around, they alerted their master to their whereabouts, and the suspicion that the Autobot's had managed to get in the base. Unbeknownst to them, Jazz knew he was being followed, and purposely led them past the energon storage unit; where Mirage had placed several bombs. Waiting for the signal, Mirage crept outside the base with the remote. A skirmish with some seekers returning from patrol led to the trigger being pressed to early.
The good news, Jazz had managed to escape the blast. The bad news, Mirage had been backed against the outer wall of the base that held the storage unit by Thrust and Dirge. Caught in the explosion, Mirage was bleeding profusely from his back struts, several fingers had been torn off, and his conscience was fading in and out. Jazz did as best a field repair that he could, and brought the racer back to base. Ratchet met them half way, and took Mirage directly to the ICU, with the help of Wheeljack and Perceptor.
Hound, on the other hand, had been feeling even more lonely that he usually did when Mirage went on missions. Blocking the bond was an obvious precaution that all espionage agents had to do if they were bonded; even Jazz and Prowl had to keep their bond blocked. Wandering the halls, he meandered past the medbay, only to be run into by Jazz. The usually cheerful TIC looked haunted, and seeing Hound only worsened his predicament.
Needless to say, when Hound received the news, he was taken aback. Falling against the wall, Hound's shock fell pulled his spark into a vortex, wondering if Mirage was going to survive. Getting all that damage, plus the water that no doubt flooded his lover's chassis; Hound may not be a medic, but even he knew that the resulting damage would most likely be fatal. Keening in his pain, Hound desperately pushed against the bond, only to be met with a solid block. Hound was going to lose his mate, and not even be able to feel him. Quietly, Hound began crying, Jazz, and then Prowl, comforting him in the hall by the medbay.
Finally, Ratchet came out, wiping his hands on a rag. Expecting the worst, Hound turned away from the CMO. Crouching down next to Hound, Ratchet merely said "He's awake." Rushing inside, Hound was met with Mirage's weak, but beautiful, smile. Hound reached down and cradled his lover's helm in his hands, before nudging against the bond, trying to break the barrier. Brick by brick, the divider fell, and Mirage was flooded with love, compassion, relief, and more love from Hound.
This didn't even seem realistic. How could Mirage sustain such damage, and yet be here, alive? 'Who cares? My bondmate's here, and that's all that matters.' Hound thought to himself.
Reaching down, Hound kissed his mate, with all the passion in the world. 'I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you' repeated over the bond.
But one day we will realize,
How hard it was, how hard we tried.
And how our hearts made it out alive.
Hound and Mirage made it look so easy. One was brought to the brink of death, only to be saved in a medical miracle. The other was separated from his new found mate for 5 months, and then found out that his mate was dying in the medbay. They put forth so much effort in everything that they did, and they took their relationship just as seriously.
Kiss me on my shoulder,
Tell me it's not over,
I promise to always come home to you.
Remind me that I'm older,
To be brave, smart, sweet, and bolder
And don't give up on what we're trying to do;
Don't count the miles,
Count the "I love you's"
Once again, Hound and Mirage were sitting in their quarters, laying down on their shared berth. Hound stared at the ceiling, thinking over everything that had occured since that last time they had sat this quietly, for this long? Without interruptions, or physical therapy from Ratchet for Mirage's back, or old reports that Prowl needed from Hound (he had slacked off on his duties during Mirage's mission; needless to say, the spy had not been pleased)?
Mirage, on the other hand, was laying on his side, curled against his bondmate. "You are probably the best thing that's ever happened to me, you know that 'Raj?" Hound implored of his mate. The vibrations from his words buzzed pleasantly against Mirage's shoulder and audios, before a tell-tale blush spread across his faceplates. Receiving compliments, he could take easily, but when they were actually meant, in an intimate setting, Mirage didn't know how to handle them. So, he blushed.
Turning the compliment around, Mirage spoke. "And you, my dear Puppy, are the one that kept me going when I was injured. I remember telling you before I left that I won't make it alone, I need something to hold. Well, you're love kept me strong. I wanted to keep living for you, Hound. I love you."
The stunned silence that followed caused Mirage's blush to deepen, and his end of the bond to recede back into himself. Quickly, Hound realized his mistake, and chased after Mirage through the bond. Sitting up, being careful not to jar the spy's back, Hound wrapped his arms around his lover. Leaning down to Mirage's audios, Hound whispered, "I love you too."
The raw emotion that laced his lovers voice caused Mirage to turn around, and gaze into Hound's optics. Deep, calm pools of blue, just like those lakes he loved so much; Mirage was captivated from day one. Fervently, he kissed all over Hound's face, each kiss punctuated with and "I love you."
Finally, a lasting kiss lingered on Hound's lips, before Mirage led him back down to the berth.
Kiss me on my shoulder,
Tell me it's not over,
I promise to always come home to you.
Remind me that I'm older,
To be brave, smart, sweet, and bolder
And don't give up on what we're trying to do;
Don't count the miles,
Count the "I love you's"
"I love you, 'Raj."
"I love you too, Puppy."
So...apparently, it's impossible for me to write fluff w/o a huge dump of angst. IDK, maybe I'm just an angsty person. Leave a review! I love them and it makes me crank these out faster! I know that a bunch of you guys have this on your fav's/alerts *looks around*
SO REVIEW! I LOVE THEM! *points at each and every person*
Until next time!
3 Huntress