A/N: I'm sorry these are all so short! But this should tide you over for a little while.

6. Past: Promotion


"Skyfire! Skyfire Skyfire Skyfire Skyfire!!!"

"Nnngh…?" the shuttle groaned, his optics powering up dimly as I burst into our shared quarters. "Nnnva?"

"Wake up!" I urged, jumping lightly onto his berth and knocking on his chestplate in my excitement. "Skyfire, come on, wake up!"

" 'M awake," he assured me unconvincingly.

"I was promoted!" I told him, feeling as though my Spark just might burst out of its chamber with pride. "Skyfire, I'm a Prime!! Nova Prime!!!"

That woke him up. He beamed at me, sending my Spark fluttering out of control. "Nova Prime," he repeated happily. "Just like you always wanted."

I just grinned at him, happy that he was happy that I was happy.

"Ah… I'm going to sit up now," he said. After a moment I understood—perched on his torso as I was, I would fall off if he tried getting up—and began to scramble off, suddenly embarrassed. Instead, his large hands gently lifted me and moved me down to his legs before he sat up. My optics flushed pale as I realized that I was now just about sitting in his lap.

As partners, we lived at close quarters with each other, but I'd tried to keep actual physical contact to a minimum. Though I would like nothing better than to touch and be touched by him, I didn't want to upset out comfortable friendship by making any unwanted advances. Surely Skyfire would prefer someone more like him, closer in size and temperament. This was just a phase I was going through. With any luck, another Seeker would catch my optics and Skyfire and I would keep our relationship at a safe, friendly level.

But then one of Skyfire's hands tipped my face up and he smiled that beautiful, processor-blowing smile of his. "I'm proud of you," he said. I barely had time to process this before I realized just how closely we were positioned and how Skyfire's hands were slipping behind me and pulling me closer and how he was leaning down and Primus, I thought I must have blown a circuit when he touched our noses together and then carefully, gingerly pressed his mouthplates to mine.

For a moment, the world froze. Skyfire. Skyfire. Close. Touching. Me. The shock of it sent my processor reeling. Skyfire, wonderful, patient, brilliant, beautiful Skyfire. Holding me. Kissing me. Me. Me, wild, reckless, impatient Nova.

He pulled back, his optics so pale they were almost white. "I'm sorry," he said hastily, misinterpreting my shock. "I didn't mean… I was caught up, I, er… I'm sorry that I upset you…"

"Upset me?!" I asked, voice mixed with static. "You didn't upset me, moron… just surprised me, that's all."

He continued to make excuses, growing increasingly, adorably flustered, until finally I took pity on him and stretched up to shyly brush my mouthplates against his.

"I'm not angry, or upset," I told him, my faceplates heating up. "It's… it's all right. I…" Here goes nothing. "I liked it. I like you. I've… ah… for a long time now, I've… well… I didn't think you would… I mean, I really like you, Sky. Maybe even love you."

There. I'd said it, the forbidden word. I looked down at my hands.

"I… Nova… me, too," he answered stumblingly. He drew me up again, a bit more confident this time, but still careful. He was always careful around me, conscious of his massive size and strength compared to my small frame. I was sure that Skyfire could feel my Spark leaping for joy inside my chest. He grinned at me, overcoming his awkwardness with incredible speed. "But now that you're a Prime, I'd think you'd want to find some real action instead of flying around in space with some boring explorer."

"Never," I told him, nuzzling happily at his faceplates. "I'll keep my boring explorer, thanks."