Time for the next chapter, lovies!

It is very short.

We aren't going to be updating this every day, since we are doing these stories as a break between longer stories we're writing.

There are a few chapters already done, but they kind of need to be edited so you can read them easier and things like that.

But request what you want. You don't have to repeat what you've asked, we are remembering what has been asked for. Just realize that the stuff on here, if we do any actual 'facing in the fic, will have that part removed. If it is a completely clean chapter, like this one, it is all getting posted.

Limited Time Offer

"I'm telling you," Swindle leans back in his seat, "you won't find a better deal this side of Nebulos, my friend."

The bounty hunter arches an optic ridge at him and taps his hook against his chin, "And I'm telling you that I'm not paying that much for an upgrade I could just as easily steal."

Swindle clucks his glossa, "Lockdown, dearest Lockdown. You know you couldn't steal a mod this sweet." He tosses it up in the air, catching it as it falls. "It's one of a kind."

"Nothing you sell is one of a kind, you dirty thief," Lockdown chuckles, "And I'm still not paying your asking price."

The Humvee mech smiles, "Well, we could always negotiate in person. Over a cube or two of high-grade, perhaps? I've got a sweet blend I've been wanting to test."

He opens his mouth to say more, but there's a sudden weight on his lap and he's being crushed under a shaking purple and black seeker. The bot wraps his arms around his head and clings to him. "What in the-"

Lockdown laughs uproariously, "Looks like you're a bit pinned down right now, Swindle."

"Very funny, Lockdown," Swindle's optics narrow as he tries to squirm out from under the bot. "This ship is shielded against transwarp frequences. How did he get in?"

"He's one of Starscream's clones," Lockdown is still laughing, pounding the console, "He teleports. And is afraid of his own shadow."

The seeker shivers, and clings even tighter. Running a servo over the bot, Swindle raises an optic ridge; he's always wanted to 'face a seeker, and here's one right on his lap. He surreptitiously pulls out a light stasis cuff from his sub-space and places it on the the larger mech so he can't warp away. Acting like he hadn't, he resumes talking with Lockdown, "I think," he looks at the seeker, servos caressing the bot's aft, "I should probably deal with my ...guest."

The seeker shrieks, realizing he's being felt up, and looks horribly confused at him before running off. "Must've figured out I stopped him from warping off. Got anything else you need me to know?"

Lockdown quiets his laughter to sporadic little bursts, "Yeah. Nothing that beats getting a Seeker in your berth. Good luck with him."

Swindle grins, "I won't need luck. You'll need it with your ninjabot, though. Gotten him to 'face you yet?"

"Aw, don't bring Prowler up. He keeps kicking my aft, getting my engine hot, and then running off. Fraggin' tease."

"Just be persistent, I'm sure he'll come around," He stands up, "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a seeker to find, and hope he hasn't destroyed anything while I was talking with you."

Lockdown waves him off, "Go have fun, I'll take you up on that offer to negotigate in person later, though. Maybe you'll have the seeker hanging off your arm while I'm there," the mech leers before cutting the feed.

Swindle hums to himself and wanders slowly through his ship. Most of the doors are locked and accessible only by Swindle himself, so he passes them without a second glance. The Seeker has probably gone hiding somewhere other than the hallways, so he peers into the one storage closet he keeps unlocked. No Seeker.

That left his private quarters. Swindle smiles, rubbing his servos together. Could the Seeker have run straight to his berth?

Stepping in, he hears a whimpering from under the berth. Leaning down, he comes optic to optic with the mech. "Well, hello," he purrs, "want to come out from under there? I bet you're hungry. I have some energon, if you want it, but you're going to have to come out."

He steps back, holding out a servo, and a smirk firmly on his face. The seeker gives him a terrified look, saying in a scared whisper, "Starscream and Slipstream are going to be angry at me if I don't go back home."

"What if I made you a very special offer, acceptable for a limited time only?" Swindle keeps his servo out. "I can take you some place where they won't be able to get mad at you."

The Seeker stares at him with wide optics, "You'd do that for me?"

"I certainly would," the bot puts his servo in his, his smile becomes significantly more self satisfied, and he pulls him out from under the berth before gently pushing him on top of it. Climbing in with the mech, he runs a servo along his cockpit. "Want to tell me your name and why you decided to warp to my ship?"

The Seeker shifts under him, smiling hesitantly, "Skywarp. I," his cockpit starts to heat up pleasantly under Swindle's servo, "I sometimes teleport. When I'm scared."

Swindle hums, teasing the supports for the cockpit glass, tracing the seam where the cockpit would split open. "What scared you so much you ended up on my ship, Skywarp?" He's heard the clones have bits of Allspark shard instead of sparks. He's anticipating finding out exactly how it will feel.

Skywarp shivers, "I. . . was being chased. By Thundercracker."

He runs a finger along one of the windows of the cockpit, smiling when he hears the distinctive sound of locks being disengaged. Only to frown when Skywarp gasps and locks back up tight. "Who is Thundercracker?" He vaguely wonders if he should start licking the bot, betting the jet would be absolutely beautiful as he begs for release.

"He's..." Skywarp whines and arches into his touch, "he's one of my fellow seekers."

"But he was chasing you?" he shakes his head, "No wonder you want to get away from them. Bad situation there." Swindle slides a servo to one of the vents on the Seeker's chest, playing with it. "You're lucky I'm offering to take you away from all of that." Hot air blows over his fingers, Skywarp keening under him, wings twitching. "Of course, you haven't accepted my offer yet."

Swindle runs a servo down Skywarp's arm, quietly disabling the null-ray as he distracts the mech by presses gently into the vent. Skywarp's intakes hitch, and the bot turns into the touch, "You'd keep me safe?"

He reaches over, disabling the second weapon, "I'll certainly not let you get stolen away."

"You promise?" Skywarp's servos press against Swindle's chest, and his spark pulses hard. Skywarp jerks, startled, and his optics fix on Swindle's chest.

"I promise I won't let them take you away," unless they're willing to pay me in the form of planets, he adds in his processor. Nothing short of that is going to get him to sell his gorgeous new berth-warmer.

He runs his thumb across the seams of the bot's cockpit, digging in slightly, pleased as Skywarp gasps and the mech's engine revs. "Do you want to accept, Skywarp? It is a limited time offer, and I'm not likely to have one like it anytime soon."

The seeker licks his lips, looking nervously at the servo on his cockpit, "Will I be safe? You won't let anyone steal my shard or remove it?"

So he does have an Allspark shard. Swindle leans down and presses a kiss to his cockpit, smiling against it when the Seeker's engine revs loudly. "I won't let anyone take your shard. Or remove it."

"And," Skywarp whines, locks disengaging again, "you won't take it yourself?"

"I am counted when I say anyone, yes," he runs his glossa along the seam, smirking as it opens a crack. "Do you accept?"

The cockpit opens entirely, and Skywarp murmurs, "I do."

As Swindle leans down to lick it, all he can think is how this solar cycle has turned out far more profitable than he has ever expected.

Please review

And keep suggesting pairings. As I said earlier, we do keep track of what has been suggested. Don't worry if it isn't posted automatically, because we do have to write it up and get it edited before it can get posted!