Author: gatekat and starshield on LJ
Pairing: Jazz/Prowl
Rating: NC-17 mech/mech
Codes: Crossover, Slash, Sticky
Summary:
Disclaimer: The authors are only playing with their own twisted muses. Transformers belong to Hasbro. Fandom-side, check the inspirations page (gatekat-fics ./290 .html ) We draw from a ton of amazing stories and authors you should read.
Notes: klik = 1 minute; breem = 8.3 minutes; joor = 6.3 hours; orn = day/32 joor; metacycle = 6 (5.9285) years; vorn = 83 years/14 metacycles
~text~ bond/hardline talk
::text:: comm chatter
At All Costs 33: Medical Override
Ratchet looked around his medical ward, finally content with it, and opened a comm line to check up on one of his current patients. ::Jazz?::
::Yeahsir?:: Came the half-coherent, slightly slurred reply.
::Are you with Prowl?:: The medic asked.
A slightly manic giggle was the first reply. ::Oh yeah, doc-bot,:: Jazz snickered. ::You'll have ta wait ifya want him though.::
Ratchet vented in exasperation, having more of an idea of just what he was interrupting now and deciding he rather didn't care. ::I do want to see him, here if he is able or in your quarters if he is not. Comm when you are ready for company. And I will invite myself in if I do not get a reply soon.::
With the warning Ratchet cut the comm line and started to gather his things for a personal quarters visit. He grumbled to himself the entire way, distantly aware of mechs hastily getting out of his way. Still, he had some idea of just how volatile Jazz was when he felt Prowl was threatened. Smokescreen had no clue how easy he'd got off, and if he was honest, Ratchet wasn't that keen on being on Jazz's bad side any more than he already was.
So he gave them a breem to overload and do whatever cleanup Prowl felt necessary before pinging their door.
The door opened, admitting him to the small entry of the officer's quarters that were officially Prowl's and by default Jazz's as well.
The only open door lead to the berthroom and he walked in, not at all surprised to see that Jazz hadn't cleaned himself up at all. Prowl looked slightly more presentable, but not by much, and the mech was easily the most relaxed Ratchet had even seen him while on line. That included when overcharged out of his logic center.
"Hey Ratch," Jazz chirped cheerfully from his position draped on top of his lover.
"Ratchet." Prowl's own greeting on the heels of his lover, his voice reflecting the state of his frame, completely at ease and in direct contrast to the state of someone who not much more than an orn ago had been panicking at merely waking to find himself recharging alone.
"Prowl." The medic stopped, looking them over and scanning them. He was surprised and pleased with the results he was getting back until one of the results lit up his processor.
Ratchet's entire frame went rigid as he stared at them both in shock, and barely suppressed a growl as he demanded a private comm line from Jazz. ::What in Pit did you do?::
::I said yes,:: he looked at the CMO in utter defiance. ::After I told him all the slag that I really am.::
::Complete honesty or not.:: Ratchet growled. ::He's a mech that was rebounding, if he had even hit that stage yet, and you knew that. Prowl had a panic attack because you weren't right next to him and hardwired when he cycled up last orn. What were you thinking?:: He asked again, quietly, far more fond of the Praxian than he cared to let on.
::That this was a conversation we'd already had,:: Jazz was only giving half-effort in defending himself. ::We'd already discussed bonding. We both wanted it. Timing just made it now.::
"It is truth Ratchet." Prowl interrupted, holding Jazz closer. "It is something I wanted, even when he asked last time and I was the one who said no. This time I asked, and he said yes."
Ratchet vented softly, his attention turning to Prowl. To himself he had to admit that the change in the Praxian was startling, and in a good way. Making mental notations to monitor Prowl very closely for a while he made a shooing motion with one hand.
"Fine. Off of him so I can look him over, and then you are getting a check-up too. There are reasons you aren't supposed to make decisions like this spontaneously, and not all of them are mental."
Jazz gave him a look that was hard to interpret before surrendering his semi-defensive and decidedly possessive position on top of Prowl, though he only moved far enough away on the berth for Ratchet to have access.
"What are the physical reasons?" Prowl asked calmly.
"Mostly pre-existing ones. Weak sparks, spark damages, damage to the spark chamber. Damage to other systems that would result from or be aggrevated by the excess energy generated while bonding. Problems that do not exist in either of you, as far as I know. But you are both still going to humor me and let me look you over." Ratchet explained as he worked. While he didn't show it, he felt a bit of relief when Jazz relaxed.
Any other time he would have whacked them both with a wrench for the constant edging closer and touching hands, but right now he knew that they literally couldn't help it. The drive to remain close and in constant physical contact was spark-driven and would remain all but uncontrollable until the bond had fully stabilized.
"Do you know how long you'll need to remain this close?" Ratchet asked quickly as he plugged into Prowl's medical port and began scanning.
"At least a decaorn," Jazz answered with a shrug.
"That's the military version," Ratchet allowed. "The medical one is what the nobles comply with. A full metacycle."
"I can start doing some work before then." Prowl commented thoughtfully, reaching out around the medic and taking Jazz's hand to keep them both calm. "That might help matter some, and extend our time together without hindering other operations excessively."
"Only what I allow you to work on in your quarters," Ratchet admonished. "But yes, as long as Jazz remains in the same room and you indulge in spark merges whenever your spark wants it, you may do some work." He shifted focus to Jazz. "You, however, are under quarters lockdown until I say otherwise."
"No problem. I don't want to go anywhere anyway," Jazz nodded, weaving his fingers with Prowl's.
"I didn't think you would." Ratchet sniped as he finished with Prowl, unplugging from the Praxian and turning his attention to the smaller mech. "Your turn."
"Leave my programming alone this time, will ya?" Jazz asked as he shifted closer and opened his medical port. "I just got everything back where it belongs."
"If you would stop making changes I wouldn't have to delete them." Ratchet countered, moving through Jazz's systems and mostly looking for exactly what he said he was seeking- pre-existing physical damage aggravated by the bonding. He found nothing, as he'd expected. He knew both mechs inside and out medically. He knew they were physically in perfect shape.
But it wasn't really their physical state that had him so concerned. It was the emotional. Soundwave's deactivation, even without the proof of a frame, had crushed Prowl more than even Ratchet had expected it would. Yet they had told the truth; bonding was not a new subject. Jazz had suggested it ... and what a night that was when Prowl had next come over for an evening drink in the privacy and safety of the CMO's quarters. Even then Prowl had said outright that he wanted to, that he intended to, just not quite yet.
He really shouldn't have been, and deep down really wasn't actually, surprised that this had finally driven them to it. He withdrew from Jazz's systems, unplugging and stepping back to allow the two of them together again. They were a good couple, adorable in the way they moved close and physically supported each other. He'd been convinced of that for vorns. But every medical protocol he had was red-flagging the bonding as a Bad Thing.
He squashed it all. They were good together. They'd been together for a quarter of a century (?) already. The timing might be rash but their bonding ... it was nearly perfect.
'Stupid romantic' Ratchet labeled himself.
"So you're not going to file charges?" Jazz asked quietly, content to be in Prowl's arms and pressed close to the chassis of the mech he was dangerously in love with.
"No. Though I am going to be keeping an optic on you two." He sighed. He still wasn't sure that this was a good thing now, but attempting to undo it would cause far more damage than it would help. And it did seem to help Prowl.
So long as a couple metacycles from now it didn't end with Prowl in Ratchets' quarters drinking highgrade and regretting asking Jazz to bond with him.
"Thank you," Prowl said softly. "I understand why you are worried, but I know what I am doing. You will not regret supporting us."
"So can we get back to strengthening our bond now?" Jazz quipped, already stroking the seam of Prowl's chest plates and causing the focus of his attention to quiver as his frame responded without conscious thought.
Ratchet x-vented and grumbled his engine. "Yes, and I'll change your status to on leave for bonding. Just don't forget energon and recharge. I'll be by in a few orns to check on you again. And don't you dare call me if you get locked in a compromising position trying something 'creative'," he glowered at Jazz before turning to stalk off. "Crazy younglings."
"Do I want to know?" Prowl asked as he caught Jazz for a kiss, playful and happy.
"Probably not," Jazz snickered and kissed back. "We have the CMO and SIC, and I doubt Prime will object," he purred and snuggled close. "Now all we have to do is build the bond strong enough for Ratchet to let us do our jobs."
Prowl smiled as he lay back, pulling Jazz with him. "I do not think he will either. I think he actually expected it. But since Ratchet is the one we need to satisfy, I think we should get to work. He seems to have very high standards."
The symbiot crept through the ventilation ducks, her entire mission carefully timed to fall during the recharge cycle of the base she was infiltrating. It did not mean no danger, just less danger.
She wasn't supposed to be here at all. They had agreed that no contact until their plans were complete was the only way to keep everyone safe and their plans secure.
But those plans had not included Soundwave being caught in a battle and injured to the point that even Hook wasn't sure if he was going to pull through or not. The host was still recovering, finally out of stasis, much to the relief of all the symbiots who cared for him.
They hadn't even worried about Prowl at first, until it became known through an intel report that the Praxian had been one of the main offensive coordinators for that battle. Concerned, it had been Soundwave who had made the call to break the agreement and send her in to the find the Prowl and check on him.
A little digging and she had finally located the Praxian's quarters - located in the commissioned officers section no less, a fact that was sure to make Soundwave proud - to which she was currently opening the grate for the washroom air duct. She silently slipped out, noting the customization to the room. Jazz's influence, no doubt. The pleasurebot was a kinky one with a taste for being restrained while being used.
Her keen audio sensors picked up the sounds of pleasure from the berthroom beyond the door. Prowl was easily recognized, Jazz not long after.
Slightly amused and not at all surprised she went ahead and let herself in the berthroom, optics taking in the pair on the berth with a soft rumble. Prowl on his hands and knees being spiked from behind with skilled hands seeing to his upward-pressed sensor wings was a delicious sight, even if it should be Soundwave and not Jazz doing it.
Jazz's gaze snapped towards her with the rumble, then turned his attention back to Prowl.
The sound was just enough to catch Prowl's attention as well, his optics flaring in surprise before a particular touch on his wings drew a cry from him and set his entire frame to trembling as he called Jazz's designation. Jazz willingly fell over the edge with him, Prowl's designation clear in the keen of ecstasy that rose from the silver mech's vocalizer before he sank forward, spent and purring in contentment.
"Who else survived?" Jazz asked her blearily.
Prowl sank on to the berth and reached back to take one of Jazz's hands in his own, seeking another anchor as he also turned his attention to the intruder, other hand reaching out in invitation.
"Ravage."
The symbiot came closer, a great deal of her attention focused on Jazz and their joined hands. "Everyone."
"There are two hosts willing to take you in, an Autobot an a Neutral," Jazz murmured, shifting his hips to withdraw from Prowl, but he didn't go far as the couple rearranged themselves to offer Ravage a place on the large berth next to Prowl. "Blaster and Boomer."
"Everyone." Ravage repeated, coming closer but still not joining them on the berth as she looked at Prowl. "I'm the only who is coming. To tell you he survived." She reared up, front paws resting on the berth next to the startled Praxian.
"Soundwave's alive?" Jazz asked for his stunned mate. "He'll recover?"
Ravage nodded, finally daring to climb onto the berth as Prowl went limp, processor working through the admission as the symbiot curled up next to him.
"Hook lifted the stasis yesterday. When the battle intel was delivered and he heard about your part he sent me. He was worried about you." She stated quietly, looking directly at Prowl.
The Praxian started to tremble, part relief that Soundwave lived and his family was not lost as he had feared, and part shame that he had given up on the mech he loved without proof.
"Shu, babe," Jazz murmured, stroking Prowl's nearest sensor wing in comfort. "It'll be okay. He'll be okay." ~He'll forgive us.~
~I know. That still doesn't make giving up on him right.~ Prowl countered as he leaned into the touch, welcoming the comfort and pushing across the bond as strongly as he could that he did not regret what he had done with Jazz for an instant.
At the same time he reached out, rubbing that one particular spot on Ravage's head that always made her purr in delight before.
She still leaned into it, her field humming with pleasure. "It's good to see you doing so well," she murmured. "It's good that you aren't alone."
Prowl vented softly, still thankful for the understanding from her. "The others? How is everyone else?"
There was not an orn that passed that he did not miss them, and as starved as he was for news he couldn't pass up the fact that Ravage was laying there within arms length, a real, solid link to those he loved and missed.
"Everyone is repaired. We miss you," she admitted. "Soundwave the most. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw look for you when they're on patrol, just to see how you look. So do I. We're all glad you're alive and well," she looked at the pair again before focusing on Prowl. "Do you still want Soundwave?"
Prowl flinched at the question, more hurt than if she had struck him. "Yes. There isn't an orn that passes that I don't wish this war over for good and things were the way they should be."
"I was ... time and distance make mechs rethink things sometimes," she said softly. "If Jazz was enough for you ... better master hears it now, before he offers his spark to you formally."
Golden optics went dim as the pain from when he had thought Soundwave gone for good rising again in memory, cutting into his spark. "Miss him so much." Optics focused again on Ravage. "Miss you all. When I heard he had fallen..."
"We've missed you as well," she x-vented softly. "Especially in those orns where we weren't sure he'd survive. It's been so hard not to sneak in and talk to you. But ... it's good to see you doing so well. You're thriving here," she smiled weakly at him. "Thriving with Jazz. Master will be happy for that. The plan ... we wish it would go faster, but the new Prime knows. Whether he believes is another matter, but Soundwave has vowed loyalty and bound his spark as a High Priest to Optimus Prime. Master believes in his new Prime. He's a good one."
"He is." Prowl agreed, rubbing her head once more. "We're working towards Shockwave. It is just taking time." Too much time, in Prowl's opinion, even if there was nothing that he could to make it move faster.
"Megatron and Starscream are largely under control ... as much control as either can be under," she nodded. "Shockwave is all but immune to Soundwave's telepathic manipulation. It makes him a very difficult target. Soon you will be of rank to quietly direct much of the Autobot focus on Shockwave. It will be a good orn when his sparkless frame is recovered."
"Unfortunately he's all but immune to me too," Jazz murmured, then considered Ravage. "Has Soundwave told you about me?"
"What he knows." She stretched and leaned more comfortably against Prowl, clearly interested. All information was good information, so long as it was accurate and true. "That you do more than just pleasure and information, that you are most likely responsible for some things that have no other explanation somehow, but specifics are vague."
Jazz chuckled and glanced up at Prowl before relaxing. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm full SpecOps. Third to Black Echo, though not under this designation."
"Na Tien," she nodded, then stared at him. "That's quite a rebuild you require to appear as her."
"It's an effort," he agreed. "A worthy one to protect my Jazz identity."
Ravage purred thoughtfully, head resting on Prowl lap she studied the silver minibot. "Any other designations you use that you would care to share? If we know we will help you."
Jazz considered her, considered the situation and the likely future, then the odds that Soundwave could turn on them, on him before the war was out.
"Quicksilver, Prata Aave, Top Notch, Korrës, Slitherquick," he listed off several of his primaries and a couple secondaries. "And a few he'll have to wait until he and Prowl bond to find out."
The shiver that ran through Prowl at the mention of bonding was not lost on anyone, nor was the way Jazz pressed against Prowl. She lifted her head, optics sad but understanding. "What do you wish me to tell him?"
"The truth." Prowl answered instantly, without hesitation. "That I asked Jazz to bond with me and he did. That in weakness I could not cope with the idea of being alone. That I hope he will forgive me for doubting him."
She looked between them, focused on the way Jazz pressed close and hummed softly. "Do you regret bonding now that you know he lives?"
Jazz's cringe and unconscious seeking of comfort was not lost on anyone either.
"No." The truth clear in Prowl's voice as he reached out and pulled the smaller mech into his arms, field spreading out full of conviction for them both to feel. It was enough for Jazz to relax.
~Regret the timing some, love.~ Prowl told Jazz gently, pushing with the admission that Prowl took the blame for that, for his asking. ~But I will never regret having a piece of you with me always. That I wanted with all of my spark.~
~Good,~ Jazz murmured, relieved and happy.
Ravage simply nodded her acceptance, content with it since Jazz had already indicated he expected Prowl and Soundwave to bond when they could. "I'll leave you to enjoy your bonding time," she said simply as she stood to jump down.
"You can join," Jazz offered as much on reflex as actual thought. She'd spiked him enough times he thought of her as a regular.
Prowl flinched, holding Jazz against him protectively and just kept himself from saying something he would probably regret later, memories of other times when the symbiots had spent time with Jazz rising quickly.
"Or rest and refuel before you go, if nothing else." Prowl offered, hoping she would not hurt Jazz despite the offer. "No one will invade here without permission, except perhaps Ratchet, and we have energon to share."
With a deep rumble of desire Ravage looked at Jazz, who looked about ready to retract his offer, she shifted her attention to Prowl. "The energon and recharge sounds good."
Relieved, Prowl nodded in agreement, kissing Jazz gently before rising from the berth to retrieve the promised energon.
"How restricting to your function is he?" Ravage asked quietly as Prowl walked into the entry room.
"Sorry about that," Jazz winced. "Just to keep the masochism contracts really light. Otherwise he's good with it."
"So concern for your well-being more than an actual refusal to share." She murmured thoughtfully, having been curious on how the two of them were going to work around the functioning of a pleasurebot.
"Oh, he has no problem sharing," Jazz chuckled. "He rather enjoys watching, because I enjoy performing my function. I'm the one who has trouble sharing him," he admitted quietly. "Though I think I'm glad Soundwave's still functioning. I accepted that bond happening vorns ago and Soundwave's not a bad mech to be with even if I don't love him. No such guarantees I'd get along with the next one to fill that need as well."
"Need?" Ravage repeated, optics still locked on the door waiting for Prowl to return, her tone curious. She took the opportunity to sprawl out on the berth, rumbling in appreciation of the deep padding.
"Soundwave gives him something he needs in a relationship. Something I can't provide," Jazz said quietly, cutting off as Prowl entered the room again.
Prowl offered Ravage a cube first before handing one to Jazz and settling on the berth with his own. "I believe Ratchet made threats about turning us into various appliances if we did not refuel on a regular basis. Now seems as good of a time as any."
"Agreed," Jazz lifted his cube in a toast as he leaned against Prowl with a contented sigh. "To good news and renewed hope."
"To both." Prowl agreed, wrapping his free arm around Jazz and watching Ravage consume the energon affectionately, spark very much at peace in the moment.