Crack in the Pavement
Chapter 20
And back to boring plot and the beginning of Ark number 2.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers; I'm just prostituting it for my amusement.
Summary: Megatron uses Ironhide to get his revenge on Prime. Multiple minor side pairings, see list in fic.
Warning: Graphic rape. Torture. M/M robot slash consensual as well as NON-CON
Pairings: Non-con Megatron/ Ironhide, Con Optimus/ Ironhide. Established Jazz/ Prowl, Twins/ Ratchet, Mirage/ Cliffjumper
Cliffjumper was a capable soldier. Ironhide had known this since Cliffjumper had first joined the Autobots from one of the fighting dens. Even when he seemed to be careless, Cliffjumper showed clever tactics while fighting. The fact that Cliffjumper was showing none of his usual cleverness gave Ironhide pause. It wasn't that Cliffjumper had lost his head and being a fool, more that he was distracted and making careless mistakes.
"What's on yer mind?" Ironhide asked. "Yer not using yer processor."
"Sorry," Cliffjumper mumbled as he picked himself off the floor where Ironhide had thrown him yet again. "Mirage is being stupid."
"Didn't know he made a habit of it," Ironhide replied.
"He doesn't," Cliffjumper grumbled. He dusted himself off. "But he's being stupid now."
"Have you spoken to him about it?" Ironhide asked. Couples counselling. How did he get himself into this?
"All we've been doing is talking," Cliffjumper replied, exasperated. "We've been talking about bonding. But he won't."
"He doesn't want to?" Ironhide asked. That was a surprise, Mirage seemed rather enamoured with Cliffjumper.
"Oh no, he wants to," Cliffjumper said, and grimaced. "He just doesn't want to alienate me from my friends."
"Gears and Powerglide?" Ironhide asked.
"And Huffer and Brawn," Cliffjumper added. "Out of my minibot friends, the only ones that accept me and Mirage as an item are Bumblebee and Windcharger."
"Sounds like yer already alienated from them," Ironhide commented.
"Exactly," Cliffjumper said. "And it's their own slagging fault."
"I'm assumin' you've said this to Mirage," Ironhide replied.
"Of course," Cliffjumper said. "But he insists on hoping they'll get over it."
"And you don't think they will?" Ironhide asked.
"No," Cliffjumper replied. "Maybe Huffer and Powerglide will come around, but Gears wishes Mirage was dead."
"He's said this?" Ironhide asked. He stood more erect. This was a lot more alarming than just distrust and racism.
"Yeah," Cliffjumper sighed. "Not to 'Raj, to me. Said he wishes that Mirage had died in the Towers."
"The only thing I can really suggest is telling them that you won't take anymore of that slag," Ironhide suggested. "I don't think Mirage ever had many friends. I think he doesn't want you to have to deal with that isolation."
"Slagger," Cliffjumper grumbled. "Yeah, thoughtful slagger. Sometimes I wish he'd be more selfish."
"Don't let this push you apart," Ironhide advised. "You'll regret it."
"Thanks, Ironhide," Cliffjumper said. "Sorry for complaining instead of working."
"Everyone has off days," Ironhide replied. "Get out of here. We've done enough today."
"Okay," Cliffjumper said. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Same time," Ironhide agreed.
Having Cliffjumper as his bodyguard would be alright. Ironhide decided. He didn't really need a bodyguard, he could guard his own body. But it gave Ironhide a good reason to really train Cliffjumper and to help him reach his full potential as a warrior. There had never been time enough to train each Autobot to their full potential but having one more warrior that honed could give the Autobots a very useful leg up in the war.
Did Gears actually want Mirage dead or had he only said that out of anger? Ironhide couldn't act without there being a threat. He wondered if he should mention this to Optimus. Even if Gears wasn't an active threat to Mirage, that level of hatred for another Autobot was a serious concern for the continuity of the entire faction. It was even possible that Gears was influencing the other minibots. How did he come to be an Autobot? He'd come from one of the fighting dens, hadn't he? Cliffjumper had met him, recruited him. He had been one of the first recruits Cliffjumper had made.
Admittedly, all of the 'Bots that had come from Helix had some unpleasant memories of Towers mechs. But Mirage had more unpleasant memories of the elite mechs than any other Autobot, at least from what Hound had said. No other 'Bots would believe that, of course. They saw him as being cut from the same metal, made of the same parts as all of the elite, and as a result they saw him only as a mech born of luxury. That was probably why Mirage never seemed to complain.
But even if those mechs who had really suffered at the hands of the Towers seemed to at least accept him as an Autobot. They trusted Optimus's judgement, and they kept their peace. Most of them didn't seem care about him enough to hate him. Really, most of the Autobots didn't seem to care about Mirage enough to hate him. It seemed to Ironhide that only the minibots openly hated or disliked Mirage and only those four friends of Cliffjumper's. Near as Ironhide could tell, they had no reason to hate Mirage.
They had the right to hate him though. Not all 'Bots got along. Few 'Bots got along with Sunstreaker. Perhaps even fewer got along with Tracks. As long as it didn't affect the operations of the Ark, it wasn't any of Ironhide's business. So it came back to that, unless Gears actually threatened Mirage, Ironhide couldn't really interfere. So should he tell Optimus or not?
Ironhide mulled the question over in his processor and couldn't come up with an answer. He was meeting Optimus for a cube, with any luck he'd have an answer by the time they finished refuelling. First things first, Ironhide was scuffed and dirty, before he saw Optimus he wanted to get cleaned up. Never in his life had Ironhide ever felt vain about anything other than his skills as a soldier. Now that he was with Optimus, Ironhide felt the need not to go to him covered in scuffs and dust. He wanted to look his best for Optimus, only for Optimus.
He was meeting Optimus in what were now their shared quarters. Like a love struck youngling, Ironhide wanted to surprise Optimus, and look nice for him, and he wanted it to be a surprise so instead of going to their private wash racks, Ironhide visited the public ones. Now he wasn't going to get all fancy or anything. Ironhide just wanted to be clean, and for his finish to be perfect. When was the last time he'd been really scratch free? Ratchet hadn't even tried to get them all out when he'd repaired him. Hopefully Optimus appreciated it.
After a double take in the mirrors of the wash racks, Ironhide confirmed for himself that his paint was perfect. He hadn't repainted himself, simply touched up every scratch, and polished out every scuff. It had taken a surprising amount of time; Ironhide was thankful that Cliffjumper had been so distracted and that he had decided to end their training early. Otherwise, he would have been late. Considering himself to be as close to perfect as he was capable of being, Ironhide made his way to their quarters.
"Ironhide, how did training go?" Optimus asked as Ironhide opened the door to their quarters. He turned to the door just as he finished speaking. The door shut automatically behind Ironhide and Optimus stared at Ironhide as Ironhide stood before him. He widened his optics, stood and walked across the room to Ironhide.
"Cat got yer glossa?" Ironhide teased. Optimus continued to stare and him, and he ran his servos down Ironhide's sides.
"I don't believe I've ever seen you without a scratch or scuff," Optimus finally spoke. "You look, unblemished. Perfect."
"I wanted to do something special for you," Ironhide explained, smiling at Optimus's reaction.
"You are special for me," Optimus replied, and kissed Ironhide.
"Lame, Prime," Ironhide scoffed as he smiled with pleasure.
"But nevertheless true," Optimus countered. He kissed Ironhide's neck. "How did you find time to do this?"
"I let Cliffjumper go early," Ironhide explained.
"You are always beautiful to me," Optimus said. "But I must say you look amazing."
"You know I'm a pretty typical model," Ironhide commented.
"Nothing is typical about you," Optimus replied. "You are Ironhide. There will never be another mech like you."
Ironhide laughed and his faceplates were lit with pleasure. Optimus was certainly laying on the charm, and Ironhide couldn't help but enjoy it. He felt a little like a infatuated youngling, only able to see Optimus through googly optics. Really, he should have felt a little embarrassed with himself but instead Ironhide enjoyed the feeling. This was so much better than pining from afar, obviously. It wasn't just infatuation but also love, a love returned.
They drained their cubes quickly, both wanting to lay together on their berth more than they wanted sustenance. Ironhide drained his first and waited for Optimus to finish his. This was all still very new, Optimus as his. When they were together in this room, especially at the end of the day, Ironhide nearly always wanted to 'face with Optimus, to enjoy his body and his spark. Optimus obliged him without complaint. The love that Optimus showed him through his gestures and his spark left Ironhide buoyant and kept the memory fluxes at bay. Optimus didn't deny him today either. The moment he finished his cube he pulled Ironhide to him with the same want in his optics as was in Ironhide's. Soon they were free of their armour and tangled together.
He could go most days without thinking about Megatron. Being googly opticed and entirely focused on Optimus had its benefits. Truth be told, training Cliffjumper helped too. It gave Ironhide something to focus on. His mind had few opportunities to wandered and that was for the best because when it did wander, it wandered directly to Megatron. Optimus must have known this because he was the one giving Ironhide other things to focus on. For now, that also meant distracting him from the sparklet.
When Ironhide thought about the sparklet now, he immediately thought of Megatron. He thought of the the violation of his spark and the torture of his body. The thoughts made his mood dark and coolant pool in his optics. It wasn't fair. More than anything Ironhide wanted to be happy to be with spark. 'Bots were congratulating him left and right and it took everything in Ironhide to put on a pleasant mask and to thank them. They took it to be excellent news, a sparkling of Prime's, a beacon of light in the war. But Ironhide couldn't see the sparklet, his sparklet as anything but a black cloud hanging over him.
It wasn't fair. Ironhide wanted so badly to want this sparklet, to be excited that in a few months he would have a sparkling in his arms. It wasn't right that when he looked at his chassis he wished that it, he, the sparklet would be gone even after Ironhide had refused to even discuss terminating it. Ironhide did, on some level, want this sparklet, at least he didn't want him killed. But still the presence of the sparklet haunted him. Megatron haunted him.
A quiver against his spark surprised Ironhide as he spooned with Optimus, his back against Optimus's chassis, on the brink of recharging. It took him amount to realize this was the sparklet, and the first movement he had felt. Ironhide onlined his optics, now completely awake. He felt another little quiver and his own spark pulsed a little faster. The sparklet within him quivered again.
Primus! Ironhide waited to feel the movement again. It was incredible. The little sparklet quivered again, and then again in time with Ironhide's own spark. There was no feeling like this, there couldn't be. He took a shuddering intake and moved a servo over his spark chamber. Ratchet had said he would be feeling the sparklet soon, but he hadn't really been able to describe the sensation. Even as he was feeling it, Ironhide couldn't describe it.
"Ironhide?" Optimus asked as he was stirred from recharge.
"I can feel the sparklet," Ironhide said, his voice showing the bewilderment he felt.
"So soon?" Optimus asked, he placed his servo next to Ironhide's. Ironhide moved his servo so Optimus could fully rest his hand over his spark chamber. Optimus shuttered his optics and focused solely on Ironhide's spark. Then he felt it, just barely the pulse of two sparks one far stronger than the other.
"Amazing," Optimus whispered.
"Yeah, amazing," Ironhide replied.
"Find us a table, 'Raj," Cliffjumper asked. "I've got to deal with something."
"Of course," Mirage replied. "I'll get us our cubes as well."
"Thanks," Cliffjumper said and caught Mirage's arm and pulled him down for a kiss. "I'll be right back."
Mirage blinked, then smiled. He kept smiling as he filled to cubes and found a table. Cliffjumper walked purposeful over to the table were all his friends were sitting. The expression on his faceplates was one of purpose and frustration. It silenced whatever conversation they were having.
"I've had enough," Cliffjumper snapped, placing his servos on the table and leaning in. "Mirage is my lover. I don't give a slag if any of you like it or not."
"We don't," Gears replied with a derisively sniff.
"I don't give a slag," Cliffjumper snapped again. "If you want to be my friend. If any of you want to be my friends, you're going to grow up at start being civil. I can't make you like Mirage but if you weren't such slagging afts and got to know him you'd find he's a good mech. But that's it. Be civil, or slag off. Your choice."
Cliffjumper looked over at Windcharger and Bumblebee and smiled apologetically and said: "Sorry for spoiling your break."
"Nah, don't worry," Bumblebee waved him off. "About time you said something."
Gears and Powerglide glared at Bumblebee. Huffer and Brawn just looked uncomfortable. Windcharger gave Cliffjumper a thumbs up. Cliffjumper looked self-satisfied, and maybe a little smug.
"Yeah," Cliffjumper agreed. "Mirage asked me not to. He didn't want to come between me and my friends. But except for 'Bee and 'Charger, you aren't friends worth keeping if you treat him like slag. I'm going to refuel with my lover. Decide if you think you want to keep being friends. If you do, look for Mirage sometime and apologize."
Mirage watched Cliffjumper as his lover crossed the room to join him. Cliffjumper sat down, when he did Mirage said: "Please don't chase off your friends just because they don't like me."
"I can put up with them not liking you," Cliffjumper replied, taking his cube and looking up at Mirage. "But them being rude to you, nope not putting up with that."
"I love you, you know that," Mirage said.
"I do," Cliffjumper replied with a little smirk.
End Chapter 20
A/N Did I mention this fic has two arks? Yeah... This is the second one.