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Grasping a Chance 16: Citizens of New Crystal City
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Prowl gave another look around the celebration that was in full swing in their quarters, a space that was decidedly too small for the dozen mecha in it, but no one was complaining. The four Knights he was comfortable with, and he knew Redline would be gone in a breem at most. The big medic wasn't there for the party, but like the many other Knights that had dropped by he was there to congratulate the four of them for Jazz and Prowl passing the citizenship test three orns ago and give them a small gift. For Jazz's friends it was more just something that was important to Jazz so they came to congratulate him. For the Knights and Prowl's secretary it was far more. It was the end of a four hundred vorn effort they had all had a knowing hand in on some level, and a cause for celebration even more than the pair's successful bonding.
"Looks like a nice party." Demeter commented as she came up behind Jazz. "Congratulations to both of you."
Jazz looked around the main living area of the quarters that he shared with Prowl and smiled in agreement. Softer music, agreeable to all present, played over the enhanced entertainment system, the latest upgrades a gift from his bonded. And didn't that truth still send a shiver of delight and awe through his spark. Energon, regular and small amount of good high grade, occupied a small table, next to the rapidly vanishing energon goodies that Wing had shown up with as a gift.
Jazz made a note to corner the Knight at some point in time and find out where he had gotten the copper and green ones. Anything that Prowl found so good was worth acquiring again, no matter the effort involved.
"Thank you. It's a good orn for us." He replied softly.
"For all of us," Prowl nodded as his gaze searched our Wing and Thorn to include in the statement. This party was for them in many ways as far as Prowl was concerned. They were the ones who had finally been freed from the responsibility of punishment should either he or Jazz do wrong. "It is a very good orn."
"Yes, for all of us." Jazz agreed as he moved to wrap his bonded in his arms and claim what was for them a very chaste kiss. The way Prowl relaxed into it and the contact was a meltingly warm moment for all who knew Prowl well, and simply sweet for those who only knew Jazz. For Jazz, it was heaven. Prowl would never be as tactile as he was, but the Praxian did love him, deeply enough that he'd learned to enjoy being touched, at least by Jazz.
"May your bond remain strong and the love you share now never fade." Demeter smiled sweetly at them before walking off to socialize with the mecha from the city she knew from many an orn of riding with Jazz.
~We do have good friends here.~ Jazz murmured to his bonded.
~That we do,~ Prowl agreed, even if his understanding of 'friend' was just as hazy as his understanding of 'love'.
Jazz kissed Prowl once more before moving back into the crowd, smiling at Thorn and catching Wing, tweaking the other mech's wing to demand his attention.
"You throw a great party." Wing grinned at him.
"Coming from you I'll take that as high praise." Jazz answered. "Thanks for your contributions. To the party, and everything." He said, knowing that Wing would understand. "And wherever you got those goodies that Prowl keeps snitching, I need to know."
Wing giggled with an even broader smile. "Pekar's Dream." He pinged the coordinates. "Those are the nebula swirls."
"Hard to get?" Jazz pressed.
"Not at all," Wing shook his helm with a knowing smile for Jazz. "They're always there, unlike the jet grade jellies that are my favorite. The only difficult part is that it's on the other side of the city. That's a long drive for you, but I'm willing to pick some up when you want them if your job doesn't take you out there." He cast a fond look at Prowl as another of the bite-sized confections disappeared in a black hand. "If I had a clue he'd like those so much I'd have made a habit of getting them more often. He doesn't like many things enough to over-indulge like that."
"Score." Jazz snickered, and the gleam lighting up his visor hinted that Prowl was going to be indulged often. "I'll find the place, and we'll see how often I'm by it. I might have to take you up on that offer."
"He knows all the confection shops in the city," Axe's deep rumble startled Jazz a touch. "Wing has a sweet denta like few mecha I've known."
"It's true," Wing said unrepentantly.
"Congratulations on your citizenship Jazz," Axe's smile was honest, and the look from Dai Atlas behind him was bordering on fondness. "It was a long path that you both traveled well."
"Thanks to your patience." Jazz acknowledged, knowing who had listened to the arguments for their being allowed to stay, and who had given them a second chance.
Axe's gaze flicked to his mate and his smile became fond as well. "You were a good reminder to a jaded old mech that recovery from war is possible, even for those with deep scars. Perhaps now our young Knight here will feel confident enough to rise to the challenge of becoming a Senior Knight."
Wing ducked his helm. "Maybe. There aren't that many Initiates that I didn't help raise."
"Just need to find your own now, right?" Jazz asked.
Wing nodded. "Taking an Initiate isn't just about training. A mecha and their Daoshi are even closer than we've been with you and Prowl. The pair has to click or it won't go well. I haven't found the right mecha to train yet, but now that you're a citizen, I'll be looking again."
"Good luck." Jazz winked at him. "You will."
"I know," Wing smiled warmly.
"We came by to congratulate you, so we will be on our way now," Dai Atlas said, keenly aware of just how quiet the room had gone at his presence.
"Thank you for coming." Jazz turned and looked up at the pair of mecha that towered over him, sincere as he once would never have been.
"You really do know the Sovereign," an amazed and slightly awed voice came from the side.
"Of course," Jazz said as the large mecha departed. "Everyone who lives in the Citadel does." He smiled a little. "Thought I was telling tales?"
"Pretty much," the mech admitted. "I mean, that's the most powerful mech in the city."
"Aww, he's not that big a deal," Wing snickered.
"Ignore him. Creations never have perspective," Jazz grinned at that dumbfounded look he got.
The other mech just walked away, shaking his helm and talking quietly when he joined up with another guest, still in awe.
"Causing trouble at your own party?" Thorn asked as he joined them for a moment.
"No." Jazz replied, going for an innocent look that didn't quite make it to his field and left the others mechs snickering.
"Jazz never causes trouble," Prowl's voice smoothly joined them, only the amusement in his field giving away that he was teasing.
~I function to cause trouble.~ Jazz purred playfully over the bond as he took his bonded's arm. "Shall we greet the rest of our guests?"
"Of course," Prowl agreed, more than happy to be at his mate's side so the social mech could take the brunt of the socializing. ~I was under the impression that you functioned to 'face me.~
~I exist to please you, protect you, and care for you.~ Jazz replied, none of their private conversation showing on the surface as they worked their way around the small party, Jazz acting as a shield for his mate from all but those they considered friends. ~My spark exists to complete yours, as much as it can.~
~You honor me with your dedication,~ Prowl's warmth and adoration of him showed across the bond, wrapping around Jazz's spark with its honesty. ~You did not have to choose that path, for all I am grateful you did.~ There was a small, mischievous pause. ~Sometimes it does not seem fair that I enjoy the payment for your dedication as much as I do.~
~It makes it all that much better, and you know it.~ Jazz purred, a smirk crossing his face for a moment and making several mech watch them cautiously. ~Wouldn't be half as wonderful if you didn't.~
~Thank you,~ Prowl purred, the bond settling into a warm adoration that flowed both ways while the party continued, eventually ending when Wing left.
"Last one." Jazz said as he engaged the door lock, sighing in satisfaction as he heard the white jet take off down the hall. He turned and surveyed the room, taking stock. For the number of mecha that had come and gone, the mess was surprising mild and could easily be dealt with the next orn. Nothing would suffer from being out of place for one night.
Or not, he sighed mentally as he watched Prowl begin the clean up. Some things would never change, and his bonded's need for order was one of them. Instead of trying to argue he set to helping put things right, moving furniture back to where it belonged and combining various containers of unfinished energon that had been forgotten by type. Three centuries in the city hadn't changed their inability to let energon go to waste.
It took less than a breem to have it all back in order, and then Jazz found himself wrapped in Prowl's arms. "So how about we celebrate our citizenship in a way we both enjoy?"
"I think that sounds like a very nice end to a good orn." Jazz purred, tipping his bonded's helm down to claim a kiss. Black fingers caressed Jazz's sides, teasing at armor seams while Prowl's glossa explored his mouth. Gentle hands explored Prowl's frame in return, smoothing over well polished armor brought to a shine for the party before finding the elegant sensor wings that still captivated Jazz's attention even after all this time.
Prowl's moan rewarded him, as did the way those sensitive appendages pressed into the touch. Slowly Prowl nudged his way under Jazz's jaw to kiss and suck along the myriad of cables and tubes that made up his bonded's throat. "Up against the balcony wall, or in our berthroom?" he trilled seductively as fingers slid over Jazz's spike cover.
"Balcony." Jazz purred, knowing that it would end in the berthroom anyway. "Let the entire city see you possess, and what Primus has given me."
Prowl shuddered at words that resonated with something he could not name, but like so much of what Jazz drew from him, he did not question. Painful crashes and trust in Jazz had written the code that designated such things as beyond his tac-net's authority, much as the Prime's orders had once been. Some things were not his to decipher.
"Yes," Prowl purred against Jazz's throat cabling. His sensor wings pressed harder into the searching hands, relishing the dance and zap of arousal's charge across his circuits.
"Your lead, my love. Whatever, whenever." Jazz whispered, slender, skillful fingers that knew every centimeter of the wings in his touch and played them like a master musician. "I am yours."
"Mine to indulge, to pleasure, to protect," Prowl whispered, gently guiding Jazz to the balcony until Jazz's aft bumped against the railing that had been installed. "Mine to love," he murmured against Jazz's lips before kissing him again.
They were words still sent a shudder through Jazz had him moaning into the kiss. "All of that, yours, please." He whispered between kisses.
Prowl smiled gently and kissed his way down Jazz's chest as he knelt. "Then grip the railing and let me show the city what I do with what is mine."
With one last brush of fingers over sensor wings Jazz obeyed, reaching behind him to grip the rail firmly, optics going dim as his frame shivered under the talented attention of his mate's mouth. He'd long known he had a bit of exhibitionism in him, he liked to perform too much not to, but he'd never been one 'face in public. But here, this, touched parts of that coding. It wasn't that he was being watched. He knew that the odds they'd actually have an audience was very small. It was that the mech he loved so much it hurt wanted to make this display. That his so very private and reserved bonded wanted the entire universe to know that Jazz was taken, claimed and very well cared for was an intense sensation.
You know the drill. Head over to Ao3 for the rest.
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archiveofourown org/works/631313/chapters/1295995