Hi all!! I had hoped to update sooner, but since I'm taking summer courses it seems like I have a test each week. Anyway, here is the second part of what is turning out to be quite the little monster of a story.
Disclaimer: Yeah, still own nothing.
Warnings: future slash.
By the time Fireflight made it back to the Aerialbot's hanger Silverbolt had already been informed of Red Alert's plans. Fireflight may have escaped one lecture that night, but Silverbolt made it clear, in no uncertain terms and at great length, that the younger flier was not to embarrass the team in front of Red Alert in any way or for any reason. This was the jet's chance to prove he was not the screw-up almost everyone thought he was. Silverbolt also reminded him eight times in the space of twenty minutes that Red Alert was an officer who reported to no one but Optimus Prime himself.
Fireflight tuned out his leader after the fifth mention of Red Alert's status. Silverbolt's lecture was leeching all the excitement out of him. Nodding at what he hoped was appropriate times he concentrated on thinking about the next evening until Silverbolt finally dismissed him.
An hour later Fireflight made it to his recharge berth after a quick detour to the Aerialbot's personal washroom to remove all the mud and plant life. Fortunately none of his brothers, aside from Silverbolt, seemed to be hanging around. That meant two good things. First, he would be able to drop off to recharge faster without them keeping him awake with various shenanigans. Fireflight wanted to be well rested for the next evening.
Second, none of the others would find out about his lessons right away. Silverbolt had been sworn to secrecy in exchange for Fireflight's promise to behave in front of Red Alert. It wasn't that he was ashamed of the fact he needed lessons. He knew he was clumsy and easily distracted and had learned to accept that fact. He just didn't want to be teased about this. This was his "thing" and not theirs.
He also didn't feel up to explaining his aerial mishap. Surprisingly, Silverbolt had been too distracted by the lecture to notice Fireflight's overall appearance. No worries, Fireflight thought. I'm sure he will notice the mud on the floor in the morning. Fireflight drifted off with that gleeful thought in his processor. It was Slingshot's turn to mop the floor after all.
Red Alert chuckled to himself as he terminated the comm link to the Aerialbots' hanger. A forty-five minute lecture had to be a record for anyone excluding Prowl and Ratchet. At least Fireflight didn't have to duck any flying wrenches.
"Forget to turn off a comm link again?" a voice asked from the doorway. Well thinking of tightly wound SICs..
"Evening, Prowl," Red looked up from his monitors and offered his friend a smile. "You know how tricky these on/off switches can be."
"The humans have a saying: eavesdroppers seldom hear anything good about themselves."
"As opposed to what some would say within my audio range?" Red responded without any real bitterness. He knew what the others thought of him and he had worked hard to give them that impression. It made it easier to be underestimated.
Prowl sat in the only other vacant chair in the office without waiting for an invitation. Red Alert never offered one and the SIC never needed one. "Fireflight?" Prowl simply asked.
"I see Prime talked to you," Red turned back to his monitors. The twins looked like they were up to something in one of the side hallways that involved at least one minibot.
"Fireflight?" Prowl repeated.
"Is your vocalizer stuck in a loop?" Red asked in annoyance. He had a feeling he knew where his friend was going and didn't know if he wanted to go there. "What is Sideswipe doing with rubber cement?" He zoomed in the camera.
"My vocalizer is fine. And don't change the subject." Prowl was not going to be side tracked easily.
"If I were to change the subject you wouldn't even realize it until you were drifting into recharge," Red shot back not looking up from the monitor. Yup, the twins, rubber cement and Cliffjumper, This is going to end well. "Besides, I'm not changing the subject."
"Good," Prowl began. "Now about Fireflight..."
"I'm avoiding it," Red Alert interrupted. He decided he definitely didn't want to discuss this with Prowl at the moment.
"Red."
"Prowl."
"Red."
"Prowl."
"Red Alert," Prowl's voice took a decidedly exacerbated tone. The lambo knew that tone well enough to realize the Datsun was not going to let this go. Prowl waited until Red Alert finally made optic contact before continuing. "I know these past few weeks have been difficult for you. I am also well aware that I may be one of only three who realizes this."
"I thought we were talking about Fireflight," Red Alert cut in before his friend could get any further with that train of thought.
"We are. I just want to make sure you are doing this for the right reasons and not for the wrong ones." Prowl said gently. "I know you would never deliberately hurt someone as impressionable as Fireflight. You can't treat him the way you would the twins."
"Prowl, I am well aware of Fireflight's temperament. I have no plans to push him as I would some of the others who would benefit from these lessons. But, that isn't your real concern is it?" The question came out as more of a statement. The problem and benefit of being friends for as long as they had been was that often they could practically read the other's mind. Sometimes, like now, things could get borderline awkward. Red Alert knew exactly what issue Prowl wanted to bring up.
"Just be careful that you don't use these lessons as an excuse to avoid other...issues," Prowl finally settled on saying. Just as Red Alert knew what Prowl wanted to say Prowl knew if he did say it he would end up bodily removed from the security room.
"I'll be as careful as a long-tailed Steeljaw in a room full of rocking chairs," Red Alert offered his friend a smile; a sure sign he wasn't upset or angry with his friend. He understood Prowl was only concerned about him.
Prowl offered his own version of a smile and they moved on to more neutral topics before Jazz commed his bond mate and reminded him of an apparent "movie night" they had scheduled.
Wishing Prowl a good evening Red Alert once again turned his attention back toward the monitors. He couldn't see any sign of the twins or Cliffjumper and could not decide if that was a good or bad thing. Oh well, out of sight out of mind, he decided he didn't have enough energy to be concerned with what his brothers were up to.
Besides, he had to work out how best to approach these lessons with Fireflight. There were so many choices as to where to begin. He wasn't at all sure where to start. The one thing he was absolutely sure of was he wasn't using these lessons to get his mind off a certain cheating fire truck that left him for a certain femme.
AN: Yes in the world of this story Red and the twins are brothers. Prowl is also Red's closest friend and they've known each other from sparklinghood. And yes, a certain firetruck did something to our favorite security director. But, that's for later chapters. Don't forget to review please.
AN2: I have a poll going, please check that out as well please. It was schedule to close on 7/10, but since I haven't updated lately I've moved the closing date to 7/23.
AN3: Most important: Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I'll have responses next chapter!! PS Outerelf, I love your stories btw.